Health Psychology Lecture 1 Introduction I A Health psychology Formal definitions 1 Friedman and alder a Scientific study of psychological processes related to health and health care b Use of findings from basic psych theory and peer reviewed research to under stand and encourage thoughts feelings and behaviors that promote health Ability to physically perform daily functions B Health 1 Debated a Absence of disease b c Physiological factors 2 Health psych perspective a Does not mean lack of sickness b c World Health Organization 3 Criticism of Biomedical model a Abnormal somatic processes Ignores psychological and social processes Ex Focuses on chemical imbalances Mental problems not clearly distinguishable from physical problems If somethings wrong with engine mechanic will only look at engine 1 2 Reduces illnesses to single factors for example high blood pressure Rather than looking at how factors interact psychologically and holisti 1 2 Mechanical 1 b c Reductionistic d cally Dualistic 1 Psychological health separate from physical health e Unable to fully account for health 4 Biopsychosocial model Engel 1977 a Biomed factors not sufficient b Health influences by 1 2 3 Biological factors Psychological factors Dualistic C History 1 1973 APA appointed Task Force on Health Research a Biopsychosocial approach to patient care 2 Beginning of 20th century a Acute infectious diseases 1 2 Pneumonia Antibiotics not major threat any longer 3 Major health issues in the US today a Chronic conditions Heart disease cancer respiratory All said to have psychological behavioral and cultural factors 50 of deaths accounted for by these factors 1 2 3 Other major contributors to mortality 1 2 Tobacco diet alcohol toxic agents firearms Behavioral components to these contributors b c Socioeconomic factors also important to health 1 Health insurance II Psychophysiological context of health Definition 1 Psychophysiology A B C a Physiological reaction to psychologic factors Social context 1 Patient adherence 2 Communication between patients and practitioners 3 Social support Behavioral context 1 Behaviors have strong association with disease a Tobacco alcohol drug abuse nutrition exercise 2 Prophylaxis a Action taken to prevent disease D Institutional context 1 Hospitalization a Patients lack control privacy May promote loneliness b c Slows down rehabilitation process E Societal and cultural context 1 Health promotion the encouragement of healthy individual habits a Most in medical community treat disease 2 F III