PY2084:03
Health Psychology
Townsville, Cairns
Prerequisites: PY1001 or PY1002 or PY1003
26 lectures, 26 hours practicals. Second semester.
Staff: Ms J Lukins (Townsville campus); Dr D Graham (Cairns campus).
This subject attempts to give an introduction to a number of issues in the field which has grown very rapidly in recent years under the rubric “health psychology”. The treatment of the subject will be to examine a number of topics and problems in depth, rather than give a more superficial treatment of a broad number of issues. Areas covered include psychosocial stress and its affect on health; stress management, health promotion and disease prevention, nutrition, AIDS research and psychoimmunology; dispositional factors in cardiovascular disease; influence of supportive networks on health, doctor-patient interactions and compliance with medical regimens. The orientation to the topics covered is of a cognitive and social psychological nature rather than from a behaviourist position.
Learning Objectives:
- to develop a good understanding of theory, research and methods in health psychology;
- to develop a critical appreciation of research into biopsychosocial interactions and health;
- to integrate ideas from health psychology in the promotion of mental and physical health.
- to apply principles of health psychology in health care practice and public health.
Assessment by seminar (20%); proposal for a health promotion program (40%); examination (40%).
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