WEEK 1

Question 1

What is Public health?

Answer 1

The art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society

Question 2

Define epidemiology?

Answer 2

The study of the distribution, determinants and control of disease in populations

Question 3

What are four aspects of the population perspective of medicine?

Answer 3

1) Large studies on epidemiology informing diagnosis, prognosis and treatment
2) Developing preventive health programmes
3) Developing guidelines and considering access and equity
4) Health economics

Question 4

How do we collect population data on health?

Answer 4

UK surveillance systems (British paediatric surveillance system)
Research studies (case control/randomised control trial)

Question 5

Define clinical communication

Answer 5

Any communication that takes place in a clinical setting

Question 6

Why is clinical communication important?

Answer 6

It is the means by which you represent yourself as a competent, caring professional leading to better outcomes for patients and relatives

Question 7

What are three reasons why clinical communication fails?

Answer 7

1) Fear of being powerless to help
2) Ignorance (lack of knowledge or training)
3) Culture (everyone behaves this way)

Question 8

What is the expected response relating to clinical communication in 2020?

Answer 8

Empathy
Honesty and understanding
Openness
Sharing knowledge
Support
Kindness

Question 9

What is the role of Medical sociology?

Answer 9

Seeks to understand the social contexts within which health, illness and medicine are formed, experienced and practiced, providing a disciplinary framework for the teaching of empirical evidence and utilises relevant theories and concepts to enhance understanding of that evidence

Question 10

What are four aspects of the Biomedical model?

Answer 10

1) Reductionist: explains illness by simplest possible process
2) Single-factor causes: looks for cause of disease rather than contributory factors
3) Focus on illness not health
4) People not responsible for illness

Question 11

What are the four aspects of the Biopsychosocial model?

Answer 11

1) Holistic: looks at all levels of explanation
2) Multi-factorial model for causes: assumes health and illness are influenced by many causes
3) Focuses on health and illness as a continuum
4) People’s behaviour influences health and they can change their behaviour (responsibility)

Question 12

What are the biological aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?

Answer 12

Gender
Physical health
Genetic vulnerability
Immune function
Neurochemistry
Disability
IQ (+psychological)
Substance abuse (+social)

Question 13

What are the psychological aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?

Answer 13

Attitudes/beliefs
Emotions
Self-esteem
Coping and social skills
Personality
Behaviour
IQ (+biological)
Family relationships (+social)
Trauma (+social)

Question 14

What are the social aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?

Answer 14

Socioeconomic status
Family background
Education
Social support
Substance abuse (+biological)
Family relationships (+psychological)
Trauma (+psychological)

Question 15

What are the three aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?

Answer 15

1) Biological
2) Psychological
3) Social

Question 16

What are stigmatising conditions?

Answer 16

Conditions that set their possessors apart from ‘normal’ people, marking them as socially unacceptable or inferior beings

Question 17

What is courtesy stigma?

Answer 17

Stigma associated with relatives of stigmatised individuals because of their affiliation with them rather than any characteristics of their own

Question 18

What are two types of stigma?

Answer 18

Discredited=obvious to others (normally physical disorders)

Discreditable=relatively hidden (normally mental disorders)

Question 19

What are three ways of managing stigma?

Answer 19

Passing=not telling anyone
Covering=avoiding situations where it comes up
Withdrawal=standing up and being proud (usually with discredited stigma)

Question 20

What is health psychology?

Answer 20

The process of using psychology to understand health

Question 21

What does health psychology challenge?

Answer 21

The notion that the mind and body are two separate entities

Question 22

Give two examples of health-related behaviours

Answer 22

1) Smoking and diet contributing to CHD

2) Lack of help seeking behaviours (screening attendance) leading to later cancer diagnosis

Question 23

What is a key paradigm of health psychology?

Answer 23

Stress and it’s effect on disease

Question 24

What is medical ethics?

Answer 24

A branch of philosophy relating to how and why medical practitioners should behave in a certain way

Question 25

What are the two facets of societal systems involving ethics?

Answer 25

1) Social animals➜ethics➜needs➜well-being➜performance➜successful society
2) Social animals➜ethics➜trust➜collaboration➜performance➜successful society

Question 26

Why is ethics so important in medicine?

Answer 26

1) Increased need: meet patients at a time of intense vulnerability
2) Medical power: Pts trust in doctor’s knowledge (Patient risk=Doctor Power)
3) Decisions made have far-reaching ramifications for individuals and society