PSYCH 270 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9, 11, 12: Cardiovascular Disease, Behavioral Medicine, Psychoneuroimmunology
CHAPTER 9
Psychological and Social Factors that Influence Health
● Pysch/Soc factors play MAJOR ROLE in developing/maintaining many phys disorders
● Two fields of study about psych factors contributing to illness:
1. Behavioral medicine→ Application of behav sci to prevent/diagnose/ treat med probs
2. Health psychology→ Subfield, focuses on psych factors involved in promotion of
health
● Psych/Soc factors may contribute DIRECTLY to illness thru psych effect of stress on immune
system
○ If immune system is compromised, it can’t protect body as well & might start attacking
body’s own tissue (autoimmune disease)
○ Diseases partly related to stress: Cancer, AIDS, cardiovascular disease
● Psychoneuroimmunology→ Studies connections betw nervous system & immune system
Psychosocial Effects on Physical Disorders
● Lifestyle can put people at risk for developing certain phys disorders
○ Ex: unhealthy sexual practices→ AIDS; unhealthy behav habits→ cardiovasc disease
○ 50% of deaths (in top 10 leading causes of death) can be traced back to lifestyle
● Psych/Soc factors also contribute to CHRONIC PAIN
○ Brain inhibits pain thru naturally occurring endogenous opioids
● Chronic fatigue syndrome→ New, may have undiscovered viral/immune sys dysfunction
● Comprehensive stress-/pain- reduction programs→ Relaxn, stress management, cogn therapy
○ Comprehensive programs are MORE effects than indiv components delivered singly
○
Key Terms
- psychoncology→ Study of psych & cancer
- stroke→ Blockage/rupture of blood vessels leading to brain
- hypertension→ High blood pressure
- essential hypertension→ Hypertension for no reason
- endogenous opioids→ Act like NTs (ex: heroin, morphine)
- biofeedback→ Making patients aware of specific phys function (ex: heart rate, blood pressure)
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Pysch/soc factors play major role in developing/maintaining many phys disorders. Two fields of study about psych factors contributing to illness: behavioral medicine application of behav sci to prevent/diagnose/ treat med probs, health psychology subfield, focuses on psych factors involved in promotion of health. Psych/soc factors may contribute directly to illness thru psych effect of stress on immune system. If immune system is compromised, it can"t protect body as well & might start attacking body"s own tissue (autoimmune disease) Diseases partly related to stress: cancer, aids, cardiovascular disease. Psychoneuroimmunology studies connections betw nervous system & immune system. Lifestyle can put people at risk for developing certain phys disorders. Ex: unhealthy sexual practices aids; unhealthy behav habits cardiovasc disease. 50% of deaths (in top 10 leading causes of death) can be traced back to lifestyle. Psych/soc factors also contribute to chronic pain. Brain inhibits pain thru naturally occurring endogenous opioids. Chronic fatigue syndrome new, may have undiscovered viral/immune sys dysfunction.
