Chapter 15: Social, Behavioral, & Psychosocial Epidemiology

Question 1

Social epidemiology?

Answer 1

concerned w/ the influence of a person’s position in the social structure on the development of a disease. the branch of epidemiology that studies the social distribution and social determinants of states of health.

Question 2

Behavioral epidemiology?

Answer 2

studies the role of behavioral factors in health
Ex: substance use (drugs, alcohol, etc.), sex, physical activity, unhealthy food consumption
-Biobehavioral approaches include nonpharmacologic treatment methods (exercise, maintenance of desirable weight, changes in diet, and meditation)

Question 3

Psychosocial epidemiology?

Answer 3

examines the influence of psychosocial influences on health
-an umbrella term that covers a broad scope of research
studies
-relating to the interrelation of social factors and individual thought and behavior

Question 4

What topics are covered in this field?

Answer 4

stress and stressful life events; personality factors, culture, personal behavior, social support, and mental health

Question 5

Independent variables?

Answer 5

the cause; exposure or risk factor variables; causal factors

Question 6

Moderating (intervening) variables?

Answer 6

intermediate variables in the middle of cause and effect

Question 7

Dependent variables?

Answer 7

the effect; outcome variables

Question 8

Example of variables?

Answer 8

• Stress is the IV bc it’s the risk;
• Exercise is the MV bc it’s what intervenes
• Disease is the DV bc it’s the outcome

Question 9

Multiple causation?

Answer 9

when a disease has more than 1 cause