Chapter 11 Health and Psychology

Transcription

1 Chapter 11 What is health? Section Introduction Common definitions of health focus on lack of something even when there is more than something: Your white blood cell count is up (more), you are diagnosed with leukemia (which leads to), you are labeled as sick (unhealthy), which is the same as saying you lack good health and need to be fixed

2 More of Health Defined Objective signs of illness One can measure:» Fever» High blood pressure» CBC Subjective symptoms of illness You feel (and what you feel cannot be measured):» Pain» Nausea» Fatigue

3 So what happens when there are no objective signs of illness but there are subjective feelings of illness? More tests Misdiagnosis (intentional/unintentional) Patient is ignored If patient refuses to be ignored they are labeled as a bad patient Patient may be diagnosed as having Conversion Disorder A psychological disorder where the patient feels discomfort, there is no objective data to support the feelings, so the discomfort is thought to be associated with psychological distress Think Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights

4 An Illness/Wellness Continuum The concepts of health and sickness overlap. Being sick is a state of health Proposes an illness/wellness continuum with polar ends of death v. optimal wellness. It s here that psychology and health bump into each other Health - the positive state of physical, mental, and social well-being that varies over time along a continuum.

5 Illness Today and in the Past In 18 th /19th century, people in North America died from mainly dietary and infectious diseases. examples: smallpox, diphtheria, yellow fever, measles, influenza, malaria, dysentery, tuberculosis. impact of disease on children impact of new diseases introduced by settlers on Native Americans Declines in infectious disease result of preventative measures people becoming concerned about their health and more following medical advice. In the twentieth century, increases in life expectancy came first from a decrease in infant mortality.

6 Higher incidence of chronic disease due to: Increase in the life-span Growth of industrialization Stress Exposure to harmful chemicals Main causes of death across the life span Children - accidents, cancer, & congenital abnormalities Adolescents - homicide, suicide Adults - chronic diseases

7 II. Seeing a Need: Psychology s Role in Health Biomedical model vs. biopsychosocial model Biomedical sees the disease first, not the person basically you are a disease Biomedical stresses a passive role for the patient doctor knows best Part of being a bad patient involves asking questions and asserting your feelings; this means that, perhaps, the doctor does not know best Biopsychosocial sees the person first you are someone who has an illness Biopsychosocial stresses an active role for the patient-- you know you This means that your knowledge of self is a part of treatment; what will work for recovery and prevention, what will not work for recovery and prevention, reasons for these If the disease is fatal, there is an emphasis on quality of life not just palliative (soothing or calming) care

8 Problems in the Health Care System Health care costs comprise an increasing percentage of the GDP Chronic diseases are now the main health problems Improvements in treatments, however, have been modest Quality of life is not as important as revenue stream if you are alive, someone is making money People have changed Higher levels of knowledge = prevention, More motivation being miserable sucks and being dead sucks more, the cost of health care, social stigma that comes with bad habits (smoking) The person still left out of biomedical model People who are make money from illness are fine with this for obvious reasons We are conditioned to conform to the biomedical model and punished for rejecting it (i.e., against medical advice [AMA] means your insurance does not have to pay, so you do)

9 B. The Person in Health and Illness 1. Lifestyle and Illness a. lifestyle modifications may affect characteristics associated with health problems. b. behavioral risk factors are associated with the five leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer, stroke, COPD, accidents). i. having more risk factors are associated with higher likelihood of developing disease. c. people may persist in unhealthy behaviors due to: i. immediate pleasures ii. remote negative consequences iii. social pressures iv. habit v. lack of awareness of dangers associated with health behaviors 2. Personality and Illness a. persistent attitudes and/or emotions may put people at risk for developing a variety of illnesses. b. coping with stress may also be influenced by personality. c. illness may affect personality and emotional states.

10 Stress What is it? Physical/psychological Stimulus Response Process Appraisal Cognitive Primary Seconday appraisal and resources

11 Stress What leads to stress Personal factors Situational factors Biological aspects of stress reactivity Fight or flight General adaptation syndrome Alarm Resistance Exhuastion Suggests no specificity but this is not the case

12 Stress Psychological reactions Cognition and Feelings Depression Anxiety Fear Anger/rage Gender Culture stress reciprocity

13 Stress Sources of stress Self Family Community Stress can be good for you Distress and eustress Distress and effort Threat and challenge