How would you describe your general

overall health?
I am in excellent health
I am in good health
I am in average health
I am in poor health

You,theindividual,candomorefor
yourownhealthandwellbeingthan
anydoctor,anyhospital,anddrug,
anyexoticmedicalservice
USDepartmentofHealth,
Education,andWelfare

Diseasev.Illness
Diseaseisadiagnosablebiologicaldysfunctionor
infection.
Illnessisanindividualsuniqueexperienceofpainand
suffering.

WhatisHealth?
Healthispopularlydefinedintermsofabsenceof
disease,butmaybeviewedasanillness/wellness
continuum
TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)defines
healthasacompletestateofphysical,mentaland
socialwellbeingandnotmerelytheabsenceof
diseaseorinfirmity.

Illness/WellnessContinuum

HealthPsychology
Studyofsocial,behavioural,cognitive,and
emotionalfactorsthatinfluencethe:
Maintenanceofhealth
Developmentofillnessanddisease
Courseofillnessordisease
Patientsandfamilysresponsetoillnessand
disease

HealthPsychology
Whatishealthpsychology?
theaggregateofthespecificeducational,scientific,
andprofessionalcontributionsofthedisciplineof
psychologyto
Promotionandmaintenanceofhealth(healthhabits)
Preventionandtreatmentofillness(clinical)
Identificationofetiologicalanddiagnosticcorrelatesof
healthandillness(research)
Analysisofthehealthcaresystemandhealthpolicy
formation(political)
(Matazarro,1982)

History

1900

1990

Changingpatternsofillness
Summary
1900sinfectiousdiseasesmaincauseof
death(acuteconditions)
1960sdegenerativediseasesmaincauseof
death(chronicconditions)
1990snewinfectiousdiseasemaincause
ofprematuredeath(chroniccondition)

Deathratesfrominfectiousandparasiticdisease,1907to1998

Acutevs.ChronicDisorders
Summary
acuteconditions=shortlived,curable
EtiologyBeyondindividualcontrol

chronicconditions=longlasting,nocure
EtiologyPartlyinfluencedbybehavior

Reasonsforchangedcausesofdeath
Improvedhygiene(watersupply,etc)
Penicillin(antibiotics)
Agingpopulation(riskfactorfordegenerativedisease)
HealthBehaviors
Activitiestopreventordetectdisease

Estimatedcontributionsofbehavior,medicalcare,
genetics,andotherfactorstohealthstatus.

Behavior40%

ModelsofHealth
BiomedicalModel
Historically,dominantparadigm
Suggestsillnessisafunctionofaberrant
somaticprocesses
MainFocus=cure(biologyandmedicine)

ModelsofHealth
BiopsychosocialModel
Currentdominantparadigm
Allconditionsofhealthanddiseasehave
mentalandsocialcomponents
Mainfocus=health(preventionnotcure)

ModelsofHealth
BiopsychosocialModel
health(wellnessandillness)isafunction
ofbiological,psychological,andsocial
factorsincontinualinteraction

Afactorsapproach

Asystemsapproach

TheBiopsychosocialModelfromFactorsandSystemsPerspectives

HealthPsychology
vs.otherhealthrelateddisciplines
Psychosomaticmedicine
Behavioralmedicine

ResearchMethods

Experimental
Correlational
Quasiexperimental
GeneticsResearch