psych notes pre midterm

HEALTH definition

complete state of physical, mental and social well being

determinants of health

understand concept

health psychology

understanding psychological influences onn how ppl stay healthy, why ppl become ill and how do they respond when they do get ill

4 components of health psychology

health promotion and maintenance, prevention and treatment of illness, etiology and correlated of health, illness and dysfunction and impact of health professionals on ppls behavior

health psychologists

practitioners that focus on 4 concepts of health psychology

mind body connection

understanding how mental and emotional health impacts physical health and vice versa

perspectives on mind body connection (3)

current perspective of mind body connection

humans are complex and illness can be caused by many factors (not just biological- virus or bacteria), looks at biological (virus) psychological (behaviors and beliefs) and social (employment)

Biopsychosocial model of health

makes up factors of health, health is interconnected

biomedical model (original)

illness explained because of biology, psychological and social processes are irrelevant

comparing biomedical and biopsychosocial

advantages to biopsychosocial model

• victim not seen as passive victim

• focus on behaviors (smoking, alcohol, excersize)

• microlevel and macrolevel processes (micro is within body, macro is external)

• mind and body intertwined

• researchers adopt a systems theory approach

• changes on one level affect other levels

clinical implications of biopsychosocial model (3)

• better assessment (evaluate social and psychological factors as well ex stress and isolation)

• more effective treatment (can provide better treatment by understanding person (ex paid meds for ppl who cant afford)

• therapeutic relationship matters (helps pts feel more understood)

contribution of health psychology

pain management, smoking cessation and unhealthy habits, stress reduction, coping with chronic illness and treatment side effects

• interventions are brief and low cost

goal: developing more interventions

lalonde report

challenges traditional views of health, focused on health promotion by creating a more holistic, preventative and socially conscious view of health

4 main cornerstones: lifestyle, human biology, environment and healthcare organisation

acute vs chronic illness

acute- more often in past, occur over short period of time, infectious process usually, mostly reversible

chronic- more often now, contribute to disability and death, slow and long lasting

course terms review

growth of health psychology

changing patterns of disease and illness in life expectancy, impact in cause, course, treatment and impact of acute and chronic disease, decrease in age of onset of certain diseases, advances in med technology and research

developed and tested variety of short term behaviour interventions to address health related problems

value of health psychology, applied field not just theoretical, value has increased and more recognised, better understanding of the role psychology plays

epidemiology

how, when and why diseases occur, analyse data on illness distribution and patterns like prevalence and risk factors, they implement evidence based health interventions and policies

what do health psychologists do

research, practice- individual and community levels, work to prevent physical illness and work to promote health, treatment and adjustment of treating physical illnesses

understand body systems

do that

body systems and psychology

stress activates body systems, lifestyle affects disease process, emotions can influence physiology, biology shapes behavior in return

nervous system

info transmission from brain to body and body to brain, interconnected nerve fibers, fight flight flee or freeze response, made up of CNS and PNS, made of brain and spinal cord, PNS made of somatic (voluntary) and autonomic, autonomic split into sympathetic (mobilises body for actions- stress response) and parasympathetic

parasympathetic nervous system

controls activity of organs under normal circumstances, resumes homeostasis

sympathetic nervous system

body responds to stress situations, HR increases, digestion slows down, etc

constant stress keeps this system active constantly which can lead to mental and/or physical issues

disorders of nervous systems

epilepsy, parkinsons, cerebral palsy, alzheimers, multiple sclerosis, huntingtons, paraplegia or quadriplegia

• affect cognition, movement, mental health, pain and comfort, bowel and bladder control

endocrine systems

system of glands and organs which release hormones, hormones regulate bodily functions like metabolism, growth, sleep, reproduction and mood, works with the nervous system

glands of endocrine system

hypothalamus- main control system, links nervous and endocrine system

pituitary gland- master gland, regulates other gland

thyroid gland- controls metabolism and energy levels

adrenal glands- manages stress, bp and metabolism

pancreas- manages blood sugar levels

goands- reproductive hormones

adrenal gland

small gland on top of each kidney, composed of adrenal medulla and cortex, produces cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, works with nervous system- sympathetic response, works with hypothalamus

cortisol

steroid hormone produced by adrenal glands, manages stress, metabolism, blood pressure and immune function, it is primary stress hormone, helps fuel flight or fight response, raises bp and regulates sleep and wake cycle

low cortisol- tiredness, apetite loss, hypotension

long term high cortisol

caused by persistent stress

• weight gain, high bp, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, acne, weak immune system, anxiety/depression

disorders of endocrine system

infertility, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism

type 1 diabetes- insulin dependant diabetes

type 2 diabetes- inufficient insulin or insensitivity

***body cannot manufacture or use insulin properly is diabetes

cardiovascular system

carries oxygen, nutrients and CO2 throguh body, composed of heart, vessels, and blood, highly responsive to stress and can lead to heart disease,

stress- activates sympathetic response which leads to increased HR and BP, blood pressure constriction, repeated or chronic activation can lead to hypertension, artherosclerosis (plaque buildup) and increased risk of MI or stroke

disorders- wbc (leukemia, leukopenia, leukocytosis), rbc (anemia, sickle cell anemia), clotting disorders, artherosclerosis

allostatic load

cumulative physiological strain from chronic stress, body can handle up to a certain threshold of stress before body starts reacting to it

blood pressure

common physiologic metric used in psychologic research, non invasive indicator of physiological arousal, sensitive to stress, emotion and cognitive load, reflects activity of cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system

research- assess stress reactivity, study emotional responses, evaluate effect of interventions, linking psychological traits to physiological health risks

systolic- pressure on artery walls during contraction

diastolic- pressure on artery walls between beats

chronic high bp called hypertension which increases risk of heart disease and stroke

reactivity- how much bp increases in response to stress

recovery- how quickly bp returns to baseline

*** both are predictors of long term cardiovascular health

measuring cardiovascular activity in psychological research

BP- measured bia oscillometric methods to analyze systolic and diastolic changes

HR- used to assess emotional arousal, stress and cognitive load

ECG- measures electric signals from heart to assess responses to emotions, mental workload and cognitive tasks

immune system

system of cells, tissues, and organs that defend against bacteria, toxins and pathogens, reacts to infection, allergies, cancer and autoimmune diseases, surveillance system, primary function is to distinguish btwn self and foreign and attack foreign, chronic stress weakens the immune system leading to increase susceptibility to infections

infection types: local, focal or systemic

transmission types: direct, indirect, biological and mechanical

course of infection: incubation, period of non specific symptoms, acute phase, fatality or period of decline

immunity

bodys resistance to injury from invading organisms, develops naturally or artificially (vaccines), nonspecific or specific immune responses, lymphatic system plays key role in immune system by acting as drainage system of body, autoimmunity is when body attacks its own tissues, inflammatory response is important for immune response however it can lead to chronic disease

disorders: HIV/AIDS, cancer, splenomegaly, tonsilitis, mononucleosis (enlargement in lymph system), lymphoma

digestive system

breaks down food, absorbs nutrients and absorbs waste, plays role in immune activity, energy regulation and works with nervous and endocrine system, strongly influenced by stress, emotions and behaviors, eating patterns (diet, timing, restriction, binging) affect functioning, digestive process interacts with all other systems

bidirectional relationships- psychological states affect digestive symptoms and digestive issues affect mood and quality of life

disorders: IBS, crohns, GERD, celciac, ulcerative colitis

gut microbiome

system of microorganisms that live in GI

roles: food particle fermentation, pathogen management, vitamin synthesis, intestinal barrier strengthening, harmful toxins compound removal, immune system regulation and stimulation

digestive system and stress

short term- reduced apetite or nervous stomach, increased gut motility can cause constipation or diarrhea

long term- chronic inflammation, altered gut microbiome, increased vulnerability to GI disorders

gut brain axis

communicates via vagus nerve, emotional stress affects digestion and gut distress influences mental health, chronic stress can trigger disorders like IBS and an unbalanced gut microbiome can contribute to anxiety and depression, cognitive behavior therapy is a intervention that can manage both

health psychologists focus on breaking that vicious cycle

health promotion

health is smth to strive towards, promotion of well being, quality of life and longevity

explain health promotion vs disease prevention

hp- focus on building healthy lifestyles, promoting excersize, healthy eating

dp- vaccinations, reducing risks of injury or illness

healthy behaviors

actions undertaken by people to enhance or maintain health

healthy habit- behavior established and performed automatically for ones health, taught socially, such as seat belt or brushing teeth

factors influence practice of health behaviors

socio economic status, age, gender, values, personal control, social influence, personal goals, percieved symptoms, access to health care, place, supportive environmnets, cognitive factors

are health behaviors stable

NO

• behaviors have different causes

• same behavior, different reasons (differ from person)

• cause changes over time (what starts behaviors is not equal to what maintains it)

• life stages

• patterns vary across individuals (individual variation)

behavior and disease/disorder

modifying health behaviors reduce deaths due to lifestyle related illness, increase longevity, expland years of life free of disease, decrease health expenditures

primary secondary and teriatry prevention

1- prevents disease before starts (vaccines)

2- early detection (screening)

3- manages long term established health problems to prevent deterioration (therapies and rehab)

health promotion in children and adolescents

health behaviors as adults affected by childhood, socialisation is important and parents should be role models, teachable moments (pick the right time to build habits into kids) as children move into adolescence- childrens may ignore the early training received for health habits,

psychosocial vulnerability

pros and cons of health promotion of at risk people

optimism bias

bad things happen but nothings gonna happen to me

health promotion with older adults

excersize, nutrients and hydration, regular sleep, control alcohol and tobacco, vaccinations, fall prevention,

more teaching and identifying risks

health beliefs

beliefs individuals have about health and disease, shaped by culture, society and indivudals beliefs, ex- vaccines and dieting

social cognition models of health behavior change

health belief model (6)

Theory of planned behavior

***intentions are important but u need more sometimes

attitudinal approaches not helpful for explaining spontaneous changes, not effective predictors of long term change, attitude change may not alter behavior or work long term

IMPLEMENTATION INTERVENTIONS bridge the intention behavior gap, specific behaviorial intention that highlights how when how and where of a behavior, includes if-then contingency plans

issues with attitudinal approaches

communication hav provoke irrational and defensive reactions, thinking abt disease provokes negative moods, some ppl may hold irrational health beliefs

irrational beliefs of health

optimism causes 4 things

unrealistic optimism bias

• neglect of preventative care

• increased risk behaviors

• false sense of security

• reduced stress

stages of change model or transtheoretical model of behavior

model captures process people go through (practical), illustrates that successful change may not occur on first try, explains why people are not often successful on changing behavior and esp on first try

modelling

role models can help to increase long term behavior change, can reduce anxiety that gives rise to new bad habits when changing health behaviors, is most effective when it shows the realistic dificulties people are going through (ex- alcoholic anonymous)

cognitive behavioral therapy

preventable injuries

road traffis esp for kids, adolescents and young adults, falls are leading cause of injury, unintentional injuries in the home such as poisoning are most common cause of disability and death in children under 5, education and resrouces are key

motorvehicle accidents

almost 2000 canadians killed per year, efforts on maintenance of roadways, volume of travel and safety standards, psychological research done to address factors associated with accidents, interventions that reduce injuries and fatalities: reducing highway speeds, seat belts, placing young children in safety restraints, getting ppl to follow this is dificult, social engineering, health education and psychological interventions are appropriate

cancer related health behaviors

breast cancer screening

prostate and colon cancer

skin cancer

benefits of excersize

determinants of regular excersises micro level

environmental and biological factors of regular excersise

interpersonal, social, behavioral and cultural factors of regular excersise

excersise focused interventions

maintaining a healthy weight

diet is important and controllable risk factor, critical for ppl at risk for or already diagnosed with chronic diseases,

risks of obesity

risk factors for many disorders and associated with increased death rates for cancers, risk in surgery, risk for anasthesia admin and child bearing, 50% of obesity is due to genetics, blame and shame is NOT effective, causes psychological distress

regulation of eating

taste- chemical gatekeeper of eating (we eat things that taste good)

leptin and insulin are hormones that control eating

ghrelin- hunger hormones, can explain why dieters gain the weight they lost

malfunctioning ventromedial hypothalamus can interfere with normal eating habits

many psychological and social factors however also many biological ones

weight loss strategies and treatment

sleep

poor sleep effects cognitive functioning, mood, performance in work and quality of life

chronic partial sleep can compromise ability to secrete and respond to insulin

chronic stress and insomnia

sleep plays a role in adaptive self regulation

can interfere with appetite and can cause obesity

health compromising behaviors

window of vulnerability

period of our lives when certain behaviors are more likely

substance use disorder

4 criteria of substance use disorder

risky use, social impairments, impaired control and pharmacological affects

tolerance vs withdrawal vs addiction

substance use disorder and harm reduction

key principles of harm reduction for substance abuse (4)

prioritise life saving, user involvement, non coercive (no judgement) pragmatism (drugs are part of society and focuses on practical measures)

common substance use harm reduction interventions

overdose prevention/supervised consumption sites (same space), naloxone distribution, syringe services programs, drug checking or testing services (places to test drugs for fentanyl, safer using education (reduces risks)

alcohol use disorder

alcohol use and preventable injuries

alcohol use disorder and treatment

alcohol risk factors

social engineering

stress

negative emotional experience accompanied by biochemical physiolocial, cognitive and behavrioal changes directed towards altering stressful event or accomodating it

stressor

something that causes stress, doesn’t need to be ongoing, anticipating stress can be as stressful as occurence

person-environment fit

refers to personal resources sufficient to meet demands of environment, if they are capable to meet the challenge of stress

strain

a negative reaction when a persons coping mechanisms are inadequate to meet demand of adjustment

self efficacy

our confidence in the ability of ourselves to handle things

dimensions of stressful events

how does stress produce disease