health psych: ch.1 + ch.3

48 flashcards

strengths of us healthcare system: (sometimes) fast and timely treatment in an ER, access to urgent cares and
cons of us healthcare system: cost of care out of pocket from what insurance doesn't cover is very high, has to wait to see cardiologist, difficulties affording medication
what is the most prominent weakness of the us healthcare system: Healthcare is more of a fragmented business model than genuine treatment leading to government influence from those who lack medical care experience, healthcare is tied to job status, lack of national healthcare system guaranteed to everyone. Makes more profit keeping people sick than helping them stay healthy. White and wealthy trying to keep access to healthcare to themselves and not wanting to outreach to ethnic minorities who often depend on them and the power/influence they hold (caste system.) Healthcare used to keep dependents "in line" (too sick to fight the system, act of control.)
The textbook discusses many factors that are related to seeking medical attention. List any factors that you remember from the textbook.: The factors related to seeking medical attention is socioeconomic status, ethnic status, and demographic factors. As well as their own concept of their own illness as well as characteristics of symptoms.
According to the textbook, where do people seek medical information?: People often seek medical information from the internet, social media, and peers or family (lay referral network) before seeking out true medical advice from a healthcare professional.
According to the textbook, what are some factors that limit people's access to medical care?: Some factors that limit people's access to medical care are: a) personal factors b) ethnic and cultural factors c) fear of stigma due to gender and age d) cost of care e) issues finding regular practitioner f) physicians may not have enough time to devote to patient g) unfamiliar medical language can lead to a patient not truly understanding the depth of their condition of the help they need h) may not have access to health insurance or face insurance denials or stagnation
patterns of disease: 1900s: pneumonia, TB, diarrhea (infectious diseases) 2000s: heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries (chronic illness, accidents)
factors related to mortality: health disparities amongst socioeconomic + social factors lack of access to healthcare (medical care targets middle age white men) age (older: body deterioration, younger: unintentional injuries), ethnicity (pollutants, stress, lower income> smoking? COPD) -infant mortality -cancer screening -cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS -sedentary lifestyle, obesity
cause of death and disease?: modifiable behavioral factors chronic disease > psychological + social factors
effects of income: pregnant women in poverty > low birth weights
increase in life expectancy: -advances in medical care lower infant mortality prevention of disease *healthier promoted lifestyle
what is health?: complete state of physical
increase in chronic disease is contributed to: escalating cost of medical care ***healthcare as a business model (nonmed people in power making decisions with no experience, unethical) -growing elderly population -innovative but very expensive med tech -chronic disease is leading cause of disability
health (by definition now): overall state of positive well-being
biopsychosocial model: emphasizes positive health and sees disease (chronic) as resulting of bio + psycho + social factors
psychosomatic medicine movement: brought psycho factors into understanding of disease 1970s, psychologists developed research and treatment that led to founding of 2 fields > behavioral medicine, and health psychology which share common goals Rheumatoid Arthritis, ulcers, autoimmune **somatization: presentation of stress on the body
behavioral medicine: applies knowledge and techniques of behavioral research to physical health -prevention, diagnose, treatment, and rehabilitation -interdisciplinary field
health psychology: strives to enhance health, prevent and treat disease, identify risk factors, improve the healthcare system, and shape public opinion regarding health isssues
determinants of health: socioeconomic factors, health behavior system designed this way to keep people too sick and dependent to fight back
biomedical model: states diseases is from exposure to pathogen
ch3: health: the attainment of positive, physical, mental, and social wellbeing
disease: process of physical damage within the body, whether the person ins aware of this damage or not
illness: experience of being sick, people can feel sick but have no identifiable disease
what 6 factors determine how people respond to illness: personal factors, gender, age, ethnic and cultural factors, stigma, symptoms characteristics
factors of people's conceptualization of disease: identity, timeline, cause, consequences, controllability of disease
diagnosis of disease implies: consequences and time course ***patients who know name of disease don't always have accurate concept of it chronic disease DOES NOT = short time course
people want to know point of origin of their illness to better understand: to better understand how to manage BUT beliefs that an illness is uncontrollable leads some to neglect treatment (hopelessness to get better)
after receiving a diagnosis people engage in "sick role" behavior: such as rest/medicine/etc, but don't always have the rights and duties of what needs to be done in order to try and feel better
health insurance: "better care" with > choices than those w/o medicare: hospitalization for >65 medicaid: care for poor people who are aged, blind, disabled, pregnant, or parents of dependent child
why are female physicians "preferred": they tend to be more personable and willing to listen ***social conditioning of women to put others before themselves
hospitalized patients often experience trauma of being in the hospital: regarded as "nonpersons", receive inadequate info concerning their own health, experience loss of autonomy ***expected to conform to hospital routine to comply with frequent requests to hospital staff
what factors are related to seeking medical care: socioeconomic status + ethnic and demographic facors (race, age, gender, etc), characteristics of symptoms + concept of their illness
where do people seek medical info: the internet/social media lay referral network (peers, family, friends) ***quality of info varies, especially farther from personal experience AND real medical advice >>> decreases physicians authority validity and change nature of physician patient relationship, inaccuracy can lead to worsening symptoms
what problems do people encounter in receiving medical care: cost of care + restricted access (health insurance, conflicts with work schedule and personal life/other responsibilities) issues finding general practitioner they fit with (or even at all) physicians don't have enough time with each patient for either of them to be truly heard and understood ***unfamiliar medical language can feel condescending and create more confusion
determinants of illness symptoms: personal factors: how people view their own personality, body, and stress ***religion, historical context, SES, stereotype of symptom perception, prefer home remedy or its more cost effective, discriminant healthcare practice (research focuses on middle aged white men)
determinants of illness symptoms: gender: women are > likely than men to seek professional care (but < likely to be believed in their pain/suffering)
determinants of illness symptoms: age: older people attribute many ailments to their age (can prevent care; as can young people not being believed about symptoms)
determinants of illness symptoms: ethnic and cultural factors: people who can't afford healthcare and are more likely than affluent people to become all but less likely to seek healthcare
determinants of illness symptoms: stigma: people often delay seeking care for conditions that are shameful pr embarrassing
determinants of illness symptoms: symptom characteristics: symptoms that interfere with daily activities as well as visible, severe, and frequent symptoms are most likely to prompt medical attention
somatic symptom disorder: disruptive anxiety over real symptoms
somatic symptom disorder: factitious disorder: patient makes up symptoms, maybe to get attention, maybe as a coping mechanism an individual fakes symptoms of physical or mental illness but without a concrete motive or expectation of reward.
somatic symptom disorder: body dysmorphia: intense focus on your appearance and body image, repeatedly checking the mirror, grooming or seeking reassurance, sometimes for many hours each day. Your perceived flaw and the repetitive behaviors cause you significant distress and impact your ability to function in your daily life.
somatic symptom disorder: CF Malingering: the intentional production or display of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms, with the goal of receiving a specific benefit or reward such as money, an insurance settlement, disability status, evasion of legal consequences or release from incarceration, or avoidance of work, jury duty, the military, or other types of service
somatic symptom disorder: illness anxiety disorder: "hypochondria" intense worry about developing severe illness despite test showing no issues experience real symptoms > even if minimal
somatic symptom disorder: conversion disorder: tests show no understanding physical damages but real symptoms
hospitalized children and their parents experience special problems: may be separated from parents for medical procedures uprooting of safe, familiar environment for patient AND their support system may receive special training to help them deal w/ being in the hospital > types of interventions >>> modeling and cognitive behavioral programs that are effective in helping kids + parents to cope
4 characteristics when ill: obvious visibility of symptoms + perceived severity of illness + degree to which symptoms interfere w/their lives + frequency and persistence of symptoms