Chapter 15: careers in health psychology Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Chapter 15: careers in health psychology Deck (17)
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1
Q

Role for Health Psychology in the Future

A
  • People are living longer, but need help improving the quality of life
  • Health problems arise because of bad habits/lifestyles. Which can impact whether a disease “activates”. Prevent diseases, and if a disease does “activate” health psychology can be used to reshape lives.
  • Aid in patients understanding of health conditions, and how to optimize lifestyle change.
2
Q

Goals of Health Psychology (for the future)

A
  1. Enhancing illness prevention and treatment (advances in research and tech)
  2. Improving efforts for helping patients cope
  3. Identifying evidence-based interventions and cost-benefit ratios
  4. Expanding psychologists’ roles in medical settings
3
Q

What is the Cost-benefit ratio?

A

extent to which it saves more money in the long run than it costs

4
Q

What are Evidence-based treatments?

A

intervention with strong efficacy that has clear support across many high quality studies (develop wellness programs or go into wellness programs already in place - to evaluate how successful programs are)

5
Q

What is Efficacy?

A

degree to which the interventions has the needed effect

6
Q

What is Effectiveness

A

how well the intervention works in the real-world setting

7
Q

What is Translation research

A

testing interventions in the real world

8
Q

Different areas of work in Health Psychology

A
  • Number of psychologists working in health care is increasing (doubled form 1974-1985)
  • Settings: Hospital, Schools,
    Rehabilitation centres, Specialty clinics (pain, sleep), Private practice
9
Q

Training to become a health psychologist

A
  • Undergraduate (intro to psychology)
  • Graduate (more specialized training)
  • Post-graduate (clinical/research oriented, focuses on something very specific)
10
Q

Types of Controversies Health psychology may help solve in the future

A

1, Environments impact our health

  1. Quality of life
  2. Ethical
  3. Definition of health as not just the absence of illness
11
Q

Areas of Future Research

A
  1. Lifespan Factors (Prenatal, Caring for loved ones)
  2. Socio-cultural factors (minority groups - esp. aboriginal people, LGBT people)
  3. Gender differences and women’s health factors (much of research only on males, little research on genders beyond male female)
12
Q

Factors affecting health psychology’s future

A
  • Financial support for psychological services
  • Education and training in health psychology
  • Developments in medicine
13
Q

Three main paths with Health Psychology Careers

A
  1. Working in clinical capacities with people (working with patients, small groups)
  2. Working in public health (designing and implementing large scale interventions in a workplace/school)
  3. Working in academia or research (Conducting research, teaching)
14
Q

What are some advancements in research?

A
  • Ecological momentary assessment (researcher randomly sends messages to participants asking what they’re doing right now and asking them questions about their interests)
  • Expanding theories to include:Biological and social perspectives & Lifespan perspectives
15
Q

What are some advancements in technology?

A

Telehealth, Social media, Wearable technology (e.g., Fitbit), Apps (e.g., headspace), Videogames for health

16
Q

How has psychologists role in medical settings expanded?

A

Past: Focused on diagnosing,Didn’t have specialized training in health
Currently: Trained in health now, Applying intervention in hospital settings, to patients, to teach health care providers etc., Tensions can exist between health psychologists and health care providers but most accept the importance of their role, Patients perception depends on how health psychologist is introduce

17
Q

Improving efforts for helping patients cope

A

Can now help people cope: Being diagnosed with an illness, Pain, Thoughts and emotions, Helps and care providers talk to patients