Health Psych Chapter 11

Why study quality of life?

guides interventions, helps identify the problems likely to emerge for patients, assesses the impact of treatments, used to compare therapies, and can inform decision makers about care

Emotional responses to chronic health disorders

denial, anxiety, and depression

Denial in chronic health disorders

defense mechanism by which people avoid the implications of a disorder; interferes with absorption of treatment information and compromises health

Anxiety in chronic health disorders

patients become overwhelmed by potential changes in their lives and the prospect of dying; interferes with treatment

Depression in chronic health disorders

complicates treatment adherence and medical decision making

People who get depressed experience what?

pain and disability, negative life events, and lack of social support

Personal issues in chronic health disorders

self-concept, body image, achievement, social resources, and private self

Self-concept

stable set of beliefs about one’s personal qualities; evaluated by self-esteem

Body image

perception and evaluation of one’s physical functioning and appearance

Poor body image

increases risk of depression and anxiety, and influences a person’s adherence to treatment and willingness to adopt a comanagement role

Achievement

important source of self-esteem and self-concept

Social resources

provide information, help, and emotional support

Private self

patient’s identity can be affected by chronic health disorders

Strategies for coping with chronic health disorders

social support or direct problem solving, distancing, positive focus, cognitive escape or avoidance, and behavioral escape or avoidance

Strategies that work for coping with chronic health disorders

active coping and coping by using positive responses

Nature of the health disorder

patients adopt an inappropriate model for their disorder

What do patient’s blame for their health disorder?

stress, physical injury, disease causing bacteria, and God’s will

Self-blame can lead to

guilt, self-recrimination, or depression

Co management of chronic health disorders

Physical rehabilitation, developing a comprehensive rehab program, focusing on adherence, addressing vocational issues, tackling social interaction problems, and making positive changes

Physical rehabilitation

learning how to use one’s body as much as possible

Vocational issues in chronic health

discrimination against the chronically ill, and financial problems

Social interaction problems in chronic health

negative responses from others, impact on the family, and caregiving role is overbearing

Gender and the impact of chronic health disorders

women have more deficits in social support, married women are more likely to be institutionalized than husbands

Improving coping for a child with chronic health disorder

parents can soothe children emotionally and provide an informed basis for care by encouraging them to take care of themselves and create a good routine; family therapy and training the family in the treatment regimen will help

Pharmacological interventions and chronic health

prescription of antidepressants

Individual therapy and chronic health

can be episodic, collaboration with patient’s physician and family is critical, and requires respect for a patient’s defenses

Cognitive behavioral therapy guides

a comprehensive understanding of the health disorders and their modes of treatment that are required

Psychological interventions and chronic health

pharmacological, individual therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, coping skills, relaxation, stress management, exercise, and social support

How do coping skills improve functioning for chronic health disorders?

increases knowledge about their disorder, reduces anxiety, and increases patients’ feelings of purpose and meaning in life

Types of relaxation therapies used

relaxation training and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Stress management techniques used

mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)

How does exercise help?

improves quality of life

Family support

enhances patient’s physical and emotional functioning, promotes adherence to treatment, and improves course of health disorders

Support groups

discuss issues of mutual concern that arise as a consequence of health disorders