Transcript title

Health Psychology

Credits

4

Grading mode

Standard letter grades

Total contact hours

40

Lecture hours

40

Recommended preparation

WR 65 or higher.

Course Description

Health is defined as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease" (World Health Organization, 1948). With that definition in mind, this course examines how biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors affect physical health and wellbeing. Specific topics include historical and cultural perspectives of health, the psychology and physiology of stress, health behavior modification with emphases on primary prevention and health promotion, socioeconomic and healthcare inequalities, and an exploration of biopsychosocial factors related to chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease, and HIV AIDS. This course is one of the four pre-Public Health core courses offered.

Course learning outcomes

1. Understand chronic health risks and how to implement holistic, lifestyle behavior change to enhance personal and community-wide safety, health, fitness.
2. Discuss the impact of psychological factors on health and illness.
3. Develop an awareness of the interactions between one’s well-being and the biological, social, psychological, intellectual, emotional, cultural, and environmental factors that influence it.
4. Understand the role that stress plays in health and illness.
5. Identify individual health behaviors that enhance health and wellness, as well as exacerbate illness.
6. Understand how psychological research, theories and principles can be applied to enhance biomedical approaches to promote health and treat illness.
7. Discuss the role of equal access in health care availability.
8. Identify psychological treatments to manage and cope with stress, pain, and illness.

General education/Related instruction lists

• Social Science
• Cultural Literacy
• Health