Health Psychology

Determinates of health

Biomedical model- reductionist

• Represents an attempt to understand disease (and human behavior) as a result of biological processes in the body
• A model that says that your brain is the only determinant for your psychology and mental self

Biopsychological model (BPS)

• A lot more involved than just health and wellness
  • Biological: physical health, genetic vulnerability, drug effects
  • Social: peers, family, school
  • Psychological: self-esteem, trauma, social skills, coping skills
  • Mental health: family relationships, trauma

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Determinants of health

• The range of social, economic, environmental, and personal factors are determinants of health and they can be split into two categories:

  1. Social determinants of health

  2. Personal determinants of heal

Social cognitive explanation of health

The theory of planned behavior, the health belief model. and the protection motivation theory are models of decision making.

1. Health belief model
   • Explain why people do not engage in disease prevention strategies
2. Theory of planned behavior
   • Explain why people engage in or avoid certain behaviors

Health problem: Stress

• Stress can cause physical harm because you can overwork your body too much.
• Small everyday occurrences may cause more serious symptoms of stress than unusual stressful events
• There are sex differences: women can endure more stress than men

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