Course Description

This course offers the students an introduction to the psychological processes of health, illness and health care. Main objectives of this course are to: apply psychology to the promotion and maintenance of health and to understand the relevance of Psychology to medicine.

Learning outcomes

This course will help the students to learn the nature of the various disease and to further understand how it can be prevented. various types of community programs can be launched to inculcate awareness in the general public.

Contents

1. Historical Background: The changing field of medicine; the involvement of psychology
2. The modem concept of health and illness; Behavioral medicine and behavioral health; Definition, development, and scope of Health Psychology
3. Behavioral Medicine and psychological principles: The conditioning models; Observational learning; Cognitive learning
4. The biology of health and illness: The endocrine system; The reproductive system; The digestive and excretory system; The nervous system; The respiratory system; The cardiovascular system; The immune system
5. Psychological interventions in Health Psychology: Relaxation training; Biofeedback; Behavior modification; Cognitive therapy; Counseling; Assertiveness training; Hypnosis; Social skills training; Health education
6. The psychology of sickness and well-being: Being sick and feeling sick; seeking health care; Relationship between physical, mental, and social well-being; Compliance; following medical advice; Psychological factors influencing physical health; Personality type; Health beliefs; Locus of control and self-efficacy; Social support; Stress tolerance
7. Stress, coping, and health: Models of stress Selye, Mason, and Lazarus; Measuring stress and identifying stressors; Stress and illness; Stress management
8. Application of Health Psychology: Coronary heart disease (CHD); Cancer; Pain; AIDS; Diabetes Mellitus; Problems associated with women’s reproductive health; Infertility; Obesity; Eating disorders: Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa; Habit disorders: smoking and drinking; Sleep disorders
9. Health Psychology for better hospital/ clinic setting : The hospital environment; Doctor-patient communication

Recommended Books

1. Shelly E. Taylor, (2018). Health psychology (10th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
2. Dimatteo M. R., & Martin, L. R., &Zolnierik, K.B. (2010). Health Behavior Change and Treatment Adherence: Evidence-based Guidelines for Improving Healthcare. Oxford University Press.
3. Ogden, J. (2012). Health Psychology (5th edition). Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill Education (UK).

Suggested Books

1. Friedman, H. S. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology (Ed.). NY:
2. Oxford University Press.
3. Ghane, a. & Sweeny, K. (2012). Embodied health: A guiding perspective for research
4. in health psychology. Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

In class discussions and on assignments and exams, students will be asked to describe and discuss the key concepts. Student will be asked to not only submit written assignment but present and discuss their findings in the class

• Final Term Exam: 50 Marks
• Mid Term Exam: 30 Marks
• Sessional: 20 Marks
  • Test: 10 Marks
  • Assignment: 05 Marks
  • Attendance and Class Participation: 05 Marks

CLASS TIMINGS: BS 7th Reg (Wednesday: 09:30 - 11:00 AM) (Friday: 09:00 - 10:30 AM)