Transcript What is Health and What is Health Psychology

What is Health and What is
Health Psychology
Chapter 1
Current Western Conception
• Health is a state of
complete physical,
mental and social
well-being, and not
merely the
absence of disease
or infirmity
What is Health Psychology?
• The study of
individual behaviors
and lifestyles affecting
a person’s physical
health.
– Disease prevention
and Treatment
– Identification of risks
– System improvement
– Shaping opinion
Why Do This?
• Changing Patterns of Disease and Death
• Escalating Costs of Health Care
• Evolving View of Health
Leading causes of death, United States,
1900.
Leading causes of death, United
States, 2000
Per capita health expenditures, U.S.,
1960 to 1998.
Estimated Contributions of Different
Factors to Health Status
10%
30%
40%
20%
Other Factors
Genetic
Behavior
Medical Care
Evolving view of Health/Disease
• Past Conceptualizations of Health
• Medical Model
• Biopsychosocial Approach
• Public Health Model
Health Through History
Medical Model
• Disease is organic
– Began with ancient Greeks
• Humoral Theory
– Solidified w/Germ Theory (Pasteur, 1860s)
• Single cause
• Health is the absence of disease
• Physical treatments are optimal
Biopsychosocial Model
Public Health Model
AGENT
HOST
AGENT – Viruses, Germs,
Drugs, Alcohol, Toxins
HOST – The Individual.
Genetic and Developmental
Factors
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT – The
Context. Access, exposure,
norms, laws
Example – HIV/AIDS
• AGENT – HIV Virus
• HOST – Homosexual males. Injection
Drug User
• ENVIRONMENT – Norms supporting
unprotected sex. Type of sex. Lack of
access to clean needles.
Example - Cancer
• AGENT – Environmental toxins. Cigarette
smoke
• HOST – Genetic make-up. Suppression
of emotion. Dietary practice. Smoker.
• ENVIRONMENT – Regulations. Taxes.
Norms about smoking.
Disciplines within Health
Psychology
• Psychosomatic Medicine
–
Organized as a field in 1930’s
• Medicine
– Examines the relationship between emotions and illness
• Behavioral Medicine
– 1970’s
• Interdisciplinary
– Rooted in learning theory
– Focus is on behavior contributions to medical illness
• Behavioral Health
– Prevention focused
– Behavioral contribution to health and illness prevention