Introduction to Health PsychologyMutiara Budi Azhar The Changing Field of Health Patterns of disease and death Infectious versus chronic disease Contagious versus noncontagios disease Transitional epidemiology (in developing countries) Escalating costs of medical care DM, heart diseases, hypertension etc The need to employ behavioral and lifestyle changes before disease develops.What is health?World Health Organization Definition of Health (1948): A complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.Changing Models of HealthThe Rise of Biomedical Model Dualists:Mind and body are separated entities Holists:Mind and body are one Rene Descartes a renaissance dualists:Body is part of physical world while mind is nonmaterial, much like the soul. The Biomedical Model Dominant paradigm of the medical profession Can be characterized as: Dualistic Reductionistic Single-factor model Mechanistic model Disease orientedEvolving View of Diseases Anatomical pathology Disease is localized in anatomy (16th to 18th Centuries) Tissue pathology Specific tissues could become diseased while others remain healthy (Late 1800s) Cellular pathology Life resides in cells and so cells must be the place to look for disease (19th century) Germ theory Discovery that particles in the air that could not seen (e.g., bacteria) could cause disease (19th century)Advantages of the Biomedical Model Medications that destroy pathogens or ease pain and suffering. Vaccines to protects against viral disease Medical technology to diagnoses disease New surgical procedures (antiseptics & anaesthetics).Limitations of Biomedical Models It is incomplete Works well when applied to contagious disease with specific pathogens, but too limited to take into account the interactions among social and psychological factors.There is link between poor mental health and poor physical health.The Biopsychosocial Model Favoured paradigm of health psychology Can be characterized as: Multidimensional model General systems model IntuitiveBiopsychosocial Model Psychological component: Behaviour (adoption and maintenance) Emotional (feelings) Cognition (thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes; schemas) Personality characteristic ways of thinking and feeling

Clinical Implications of the Biopsychosocial Model Interdisciplinary team approach to assessment and diagnosis Prevention and treatment should consider all three factors An effective patient-practitioner relationship can improve treatment Health Psychology Research Examples of studies: Immune function (Glaser et al.) Psoriasis (Kabat-Zin et al.) Breast cancer (Spiegel)