health psychology

Examples of health psychology in the following topics:

• Introducing Health Psychology

  • Health psychology is the application of psychological theory and research to health, illness, and healthcare.
  • Health psychology, often referred to as behavioral medicine or medical psychology, is the application of psychological theory to health-related practices.
  • The field of health psychology includes two sub-fields.
  • Health psychology is concerned with the psychology of a range of health-related behaviors, including nutrition, exercise, healthcare utilization, and medical decision-making.
  • Define the focus and goals of the field of health psychology

• Careers in Psychology

  • In many countries, clinical psychology is a regulated mental-health profession.
  • Careers in health settings can vary widely and include health psychology (sometimes called health-and-wellness psychology), occupational-health psychology, and medical psychology.
  • Health psychology concerns itself with understanding how biology, behavior, and social context influence health and illness; health psychologists generally work alongside other medical professionals in clinical settings, although many also teach and conduct research.
  • Medical psychology involves the application of a range of psychological principles, theories, and findings to the effective management of physical and mental disorders to improve the psychological and physical health of the patient.
  • Occupational-health psychology (OHP) is a relatively new discipline concerned with identifying psychosocial characteristics of workplaces that give rise to health-related problems in people who work.

• Introduction to Stress

  • Behavioral medicine and health psychology are two approaches to understanding stress and its relationship to mental and physical health.
  • One basic definition of stress is "a psychological feeling of strain and pressure."
  • Behavioral medicine and health psychology are two approaches to analyzing and discussing stress.
  • Prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact health, and has been cited as a factor in cognitive impairment with aging, depressive illness, and expression of disease.
  • Psychological methods include cognitive therapy, meditation, and positive thinking, which work by reducing the response to stress.

• Attitude and Health

  • Managing health requires understanding the influence of psychological factors (such as attitude and mood) and overall quality of life.
  • The biopsychosocial model views health and illness as the product of a combination of biological factors (such as genes), psychological factors (such as behavior, lifestyle, stress, and health beliefs), and social conditions (such as cultural influences, family relationships, and social support).
  • In this section, we will explore the influence of psychological factors and quality of life.
  • Part of health psychology is understanding how psychological factors (such as attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, moods, and emotions) and overall quality of life impact a person's health.
  • One psychological factor that influences physical health is one's attitudes.

• The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Illness

  • The biopsychosocial model states that health and illness are determined by a dynamic interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors.
  • The biopsychosocial model argues that any one factor is not sufficient; it is the interplay between people's genetic makeup (biology), mental health and behavior (psychology), and social and cultural context that determine the course of their health-related outcomes.
  • The psychological component of the biopsychosocial model seeks to find a psychological foundation for a particular symptom or array of symptoms (e.g., impulsivity, irritability, overwhelming sadness, etc.).
  • Health promotion must address all three factors, as a growing body of empirical literature suggests that it is the combination of health status, perceptions of health, and sociocultural barriers to accessing health care that influence the likelihood of a patient engaging in health-promoting behaviors, like taking medication, proper diet or nutrition, and engaging in physical activity.
  • This diagram shows how biological, psychological, and sociological factors overlap to determine overall health.

• Positive Psychology

  • Positive psychology stems from the humanistic psychology of the 20th century and focuses on optimizing psychological health and well-being.
  • Positive psychology is the scientific study of optimal human functioning.
  • Rather than detail mental illness, positive psychology aims to study the psychology of people in good mental health.
  • Positive psychology has roots in the humanistic psychology of the 20th century, which focused heavily on happiness and fulfillment.
  • Positive and humanistic psychology are both interested in positive aspects of psychological health and well-being, focusing on such phenomena as creativity, free will, and positive human potential.

• The Link Between Psychology and Health

  • Many researchers believe that physical health is influenced by psychology (and vice versa) through a variety of direct and indirect means.
  • Socially, people with low incomes have less access to health resources and screening processes.
  • A psychologically healthy individual who gets severely injured, for example, now has many different practical issues to contend with that will in turn affect their psychological well-being.
  • Running can have a number of psychological benefits.
  • Analyze how psychological and behavioral factors can impact health, and vice versa.

• Nutrition and Health

  • Human nutrition and health are inextricably linked because proper nutrition maintains overall health and well-being.
  • Micronutrients include dietary vitamins and minerals which are necessary to sustain health.
  • Vitamin deficiencies may result in physical dysfunction, including impaired immune function, premature aging, and even poor psychological health.
  • There is a reciprocal relationship between the physical and psychological effects of poor nutrition.
  • Existing or incipient psychological conditions (e.g. eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia) can cause nutritional deficiency and result in poor physical health.

• Defining Psychology

  • Psychology is the scientific study of human mental processes and behavior.
  • Simply put, psychology is the study of the mind.
  • This field ultimately aims to benefit society, partly through its focus on better understanding of mental health and mental illness.
  • Some are employed in industrial and organizational settings, in health-care settings, in the media, in sports, or in forensic investigation and other law-related fields.
  • Psychology seeks to understand how psychological factors interact with sociocultural and biological factors to influence individual development.

• Undergraduate and Graduate Study in Psychology

  • Options for doctoral graduates in psychology include the areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, occupational psychology, forensic psychology, education psychology, and engineering psychology, as well as many other areas such as school psychology, sports psychology, and community psychology.
  • Some psychologists (such as clinical and counseling psychologists) provide mental health care, while others (such as social or organizational psychologists) conduct research and provide consultation services.
  • Psychologists often help clients change behaviors that are having negative effects on their physical health.
  • Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS) in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or educational psychology.
  • Bachelor's degree holders are often great candidates for careers in administrative support, public affairs, education, business, sales, service industries, health, the biological sciences, or computer programming; they may also find jobs as employment counselors, analysts, probation officers, or writers.