PSYC 2500H Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Psychosomatic Medicine, Medical Sociology, Operant Conditioning
30 Jan 2018
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Document Summary
We commonly think about health in terms of an absence (1) objective sign that the body is not functioning properly, such as measured high blood pressure, or (2) subjective symptoms of disease or injury, such as pain or nausea. Health and sickness are not entirely separate concepts- they overlap. There are degrees of wellness and of illness. Aaron antonovsky suggested that we consider these concepts as ends of a continuum, noting that (cid:862)we are all ter(cid:373)i(cid:374)al cases. 17th 18th and 19th century north americans mainly suffered and died from 2 types of illness: Beriberi caused by a lack of vitamin b. Infectious diseases, are acute illnesses caused by harmful matter or micro-organisms, such as bacteria or viruses in the body. In much of the world (specially in lower income or developing countries), infectious diseases continue to be a main cause of death, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and hiv/ aids are among the leading causes of death.
