Lecture Overview Focus on health psychology, specifically addressing substance use disorders, psychological interventions, stress, and coping strategies. Acknowledgment of the lands belonging to Aboriginal peoples is crucial, as it recognizes their continuous connection to the land, their cultures, and traditional practices that have persisted over generations.

Recap from Previous Lectures Health Psychology Goal: The primary aim of health psychology is to prevent illnesses by considering the complex interplay of biological, social, and psychological factors that influence health outcomes. Health psychologists operate on two distinct levels:

• Population Level: Engaging in preventive efforts, implementing health programs, and advocating for policies that support community health and well-being.

• Individual Level: Conducting clinical interventions tailored to promote healthier lifestyles and effectively manage existing health conditions.

Life Expectancy Discussion Points

Notable disparities exist in life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples compared to the general population of non-Aboriginal peoples, highlighting systemic health inequities.

• Common Causes of Death: A significant portion of mortality is influenced by health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and engaging in risky sexual behaviors, contributing to pronounced health disparities across demographic groups.

Substance Use in Adulthood

• Types of Substance Use: The primary categories include cigarette use, alcohol consumption, and the use of illicit drugs. Each of these categories carries unique health risks and societal implications, significantly affecting public health.

• Reasons for Substance Use: Individuals may resort to substance use for various reasons, including:

  • Coping Mechanisms: People often use substances as a means to cope with stress, anxiety, or emotional pain stemming from life challenges or traumatic experiences.

  • Social Influences: Social norms and peer pressure play a pivotal role in substance use behaviors, particularly among youth, where the desire to fit in can lead to higher consumption rates.

  • Mental Health Issues: Individuals with existing mental health disorders are at an elevated risk for substance use, often using substances as maladaptive coping strategies to escape distress.

  • Exploration: Many individuals, especially adolescents and young adults, may experiment with substances driven by curiosity or the desire for novel experiences.

  • Cultural Context: In Australia, substance use, particularly binge drinking, is integrated into social culture, resulting in significant social acceptability and normalization of drinking behaviors, which may lead to adverse health outcomes.

Cigarette Smoking

• Statistics: Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in Australia. From 1945, smoking prevalence dramatically declined, with rates falling from 72% of men and 26% of women to only 10.7% of the population who are daily smokers today.

  • Young Adults: A significant decrease in smoking rates has been observed among young adults aged 18-24, reflecting the success of public health campaigns aimed at this demographic.

  • Older Adults: The highest prevalence of smoking is found among individuals aged 65-74, attributed mainly to historical smoking patterns and the addictive nature of nicotine.

• Disparities in Cigarette Use:

  • Risk Factors for Higher Smoking Rates:

    • Unemployed individuals are 1.7 times more likely to smoke compared to those employed.

    • Residents in remote areas are twice as likely to smoke compared to urban counterparts.

    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations smoke at rates 2.6 times higher than non-Aboriginal individuals, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.

    • Individuals from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds exhibit smoking rates three times higher than their higher-income counterparts.

    • Prison entrants show an alarming rate of smoking, which is 5.7 times greater than that of the general population, indicating a critical area for public health intervention.

Alcohol Consumption

• Understanding Alcohol Use:

  • Definition: A standard drink in Australia is defined as containing 10 grams of pure alcohol.

  • NHMRC Guidelines: The national guidelines recommend limiting alcohol intake to no more than 10 standard drinks per week and a maximum of 5 drinks on any single occasion to minimize health risks.

  • Data Report: According to the 2020-2021 data, approximately 1 in 4 adults over the age of 18 exceeded these guidelines, with particularly alarming rates of binge drinking reported among younger adults aged 18-24.

  • Alcohol's Place in Australian Society: Alcohol is often viewed culturally as the lesser evil compared to smoking, showcasing a significant level of societal acceptance and normalization of drinking behaviors.

  • Guidelines for Vulnerable Populations: Public health advisories advise against alcohol consumption for individuals under the age of 18 and for pregnant women to mitigate risks associated with prenatal exposure.

• Consequences of Alcohol Use:

  • Prenatal Exposure: Exposure to heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy poses significant risks, with a concerning statistic indicating that 70% of children subjected to this exposure exhibit neurobehavioral issues later in life. Campaigns such as Strong Born play an instrumental role in supporting Aboriginal communities in addressing discussions around fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), characterized by long-term impairments resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure.

Illicit Drug Use

• Types of Illicit Drugs: This category encompasses not only strictly prohibited substances, such as cannabis, cocaine, and heroin but also includes misused pharmaceuticals like opioids and benzodiazepines, which have emerged as major public health concerns due to their rising usage.

• Usage Statistics: Reports indicate that 43% of Australians aged 14 and older have reported lifetime use of illicit drugs, with a notable uptick observed in younger populations under the age of 18, raising alarms about service accessibility and preventive measures.

Psychological Interventions for Substance Use Problems

• Effective Interventions:

  • Motivational Interviewing (MI): This client-centered, goal-oriented approach aims to enhance intrinsic motivation and commitment to change by exploring personal reasons for wanting to alter behaviors.

  • Multimodal Interventions: Strategies that integrate biological methods, such as nicotine replacement therapies or pharmacological interventions, with psychological techniques, including mindfulness, stress management, and behavioral therapies, are essential for comprehensive treatment.

  • Harm Reduction Approaches: These strategies focus on minimizing the adverse effects associated with drug use rather than solely aiming for complete cessation, exemplified by programs such as needle exchange initiatives that mitigate health risks for users.

  • Relapse Prevention: It is vital to develop strategies empowering individuals to cope with potential relapse situations, employing cognitive-behavioral techniques to strengthen resilience and recovery.

• Motivational Interviewing Characteristics:

  • Empower clients by engaging them as equal partners in their change process.

  • Avoid unsolicited advice, focusing instead on helping clients uncover and articulate their personal motivations for change.

  • Building rapport through active listening and empathy is crucial for fostering effective therapeutic relationships.

Stress and Coping

• Understanding Stress:

  • Definition: Stress is characterized as a composite of cognitive, physiological, and behavioral responses to perceived demands or threats.

  • Types of Stress:

    • Micro-stresses: These encompass daily annoyances and minor conflicts that can accumulate over time.

    • Major negative events: Such as loss, trauma, or significant life changes, which can profoundly impact mental well-being.

    • Catastrophic events: Examples include natural disasters or widespread community trauma that require extensive psychological support and intervention.

• Coping Strategies:

  • Problem Focused Coping: Direct engagement with stressors through strategies such as planning, seeking solutions, and problem-solving.

  • Emotion Focused Coping: Managing emotional responses to stress by seeking social support or utilizing avoidance strategies to mitigate distress.

  • Effective coping often requires a balance and combination of problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies tailored to specific stressful circumstances.

Final Points The high prevalence of substance use and its associated negative health outcomes underscore the urgent need for effective treatment and prevention strategies. Interventions like motivational interviewing, harm reduction strategies, and a diverse array of coping techniques are critical to addressing