Week 1: Overview

Question 1

What is the world health organisation’s definition of health?

Answer 1

The state of complete physical, social and spiritual well-being, not simply the absence of illness

Question 2

What does the WHO definition of health overlook?

Answer 2

The psychological, cultural and economic aspects

Question 3

What is the more relevant and inclusive definition of health?

Answer 3

Health is a state of well-being with satisfaction of physical, cultural, psychosocial, economic and spiritual needs, not simply the absence of illness.

Question 4

What does health psychology do?

Answer 4

Challenges the mind-body split and the biomedical model by suggesting a role for the mind in both the cause and treatment of illness

Question 5

What does health psychology suggest causes illness?

Answer 5

Suggests illness is caused by a multitude of factors and not by a single causal factor. Attempts to move away from a simple linear model of health and towards a model of health inclusive of biological, psychological and social factors

Question 6

Who does health psychology claim is responsible for illness?

Answer 6

Because of the illness being regarded as a result of a combination of factors, the individual is no longer seen as solely responsible

However, the recognition of the role of behaviour may put the individual responsible again.

Question 7

How does health psychology claim illness should be treated?

Answer 7

The whole person should be treated and not just the physical changes that have taken place.

Question 8

What is the relationship between health and illness?

Answer 8

People are in a constant transit between health and illness throughout the course of their life.
Health and illness exist on a continuum

Question 9

What is the role of psychology in health and illness?

Answer 9

Health psychology claims psychological factors are not only possible consequences of illness but as contributing to it at all stages along the continuum from being healthy through to being ill.

Question 10

What are the aims (2) of health psychology?

Answer 10

To develop and test a theory of health behaviour

To put theory into practice

Question 11

How do we put theory of health behaviour into practice?

Answer 11

Promoting health behaviours

Preventing illness

Question 12

Which theories (4) underpin the theory and research in health psychology?

Answer 12

The biopsychosocial model

Understanding health as a continuum

The dual (direct/indirect) pathway model

Incorporating variability

Question 13

What is the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 13

Represents an attempt to integrate psychological and environmental aspects into the traditional biomedical model of health.

Question 14

What are some biological aspects of the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 14

Gender 
Physical illness 
Disability 
Genetics 
Immune function 
Stress reactivity

Question 15

What are some of the psychological aspects of the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 15

Learning/memory 
Attitudes/beliefs 
Personality 
Behaviours 
Emotions 
Coping skills 
Post trauma

Question 16

What are some of the social/environmental factors of the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 16

Social support 
Family background 
Cultural traditions 
Social/economic status
Education

Question 17

Explain the health as a continuum model

Answer 17

Psychology is involved in:

• illness onset (beliefs and behaviours)
• illness adaption (once the person becomes ill - help seeking, coping, social support)
• illness outcomes (quality of life, longevity, behaviour and adherence)

Question 18

Explain the dual pathway model

Answer 18

There are direct and indirect pathways towards a health outcome.

Direct: The way a person experiences their life has a direct impact upon their body which can change their health status

Indirect: The way a person thinks, influences their behaviour which in turn can impact upon their health

Question 19

Why should we incorporate variability into health psychology theory

Answer 19

There is variability between people for example two people might both know that smoking is bad for them but only one stops

Knowledge (smoking is harmful) alone does not always predict behaviour

illness severity (severity of heart attack) does not always predict health outcomes

Question 20

What is the role of a health psychologist within health promotion

Answer 20

Promote positive health behaviours and reduce harmful health behaviours such as diet smoking alcohol and drug abuse

Advise on attitudes beliefs and behaviours that contribute it with health and how they might be changed

Design public health programs in areas such as behaviour change related to exercise alcohol cigarettes drug consumption and injury and cancer prevention

Work with community members and professionals to improve health and well-being by estimating the distribution of disease identifying health behaviour in modifiable determinants

Question 21

What is the role of a clinical psychologist in clinical settings

Answer 21

Develop education and behaviour change programs to help people to recover from or self manage chronic illness trauma injury or disability

Design treatments to reduce problems that can accompany and contribute to illness and injury such as chronic pain addiction poor sleep eating problems anxiety depression and emotional reaction such as anger and grief

Help people to cope with the diagnosis of medical treatment of acute health problems and to facilitate medical care

Assist people to cope a terminal illness including the impact of loss bereavement death and dying

Design and test interventions to improve health systems and relationships between health professionals doctors nurses and psychologists and monitor impacts on health determinants encourage recovery from illness and injury