Health Psychology and Human Diversity

Health Psychology and Human Diversity

• This unit introduces psychological theories and research relevant to medical practice.
• The unit is designed to meet the requirements of the GMC (Tomorrow's Doctors 2009).
• Unit content includes psychology, health & illness (biopsychosocial model, stress, pain, changing health behaviours, coping with illness, psychological therapy, adherence to treatment, dying).
• It also includes diversity, specifically stereotypical thinking and aspects of diversity like disability, sexuality, ageing, and reflective practice.
• The teaching methods include lectures (often with visiting speakers), small group sessions, DVDs, independent study & reflection, Blackboard resources, and different locations.
• Assessment includes a formative mid-unit exam with model answers, and a revision session online.
• Students should show respect for speakers and fellow students, be on time, be quiet in lectures, participate in discussions and group sessions, offer constructive comments and suggestions, and seek help appropriately.
• Some topics might be sensitive; students should be aware and contact the module leader if needed.

Psychology and Medicine - Biopsychosocial Model

• The objectives of this section aim to enable understanding of how biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to health and illness, and to health-related behaviour.
• Psychology is defined as the science of people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
• Health psychology contributes to the promotion and maintenance of health, the prevention and treatment of illness, the identification of psychological factors that influence health and illness, and analysis and improvement of healthcare systems.

The Biomedical Model

• Traditionally, medicine often focused on biological and physiological causes of illness.
• Treatments typically involved physical interventions like drugs and surgery.
• The body was viewed as a machine, with the goal of removing or replacing malfunctioning parts.

Case Study: Ali

• Ali, a 50-year-old financial manager (divorced and with three teenage children), is recovering from a heart attack.
• The case prompts investigation into potential contributing factors (other than medication) to his heart attack and suggested additional recommendations for treatment.

The Biopsychosocial Model (Engel, 1977)

• This model emphasizes that health and illness are influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors.
• It's represented graphically showing the interconnectedness of these three factors impacting health and illness.

Value of Psychology to Medicine

• Patients are complex individuals with potential impacts on health and illness.
• Psychology plays roles in motivating behaviour, impacting healthcare, and understanding responses to illness.
• Doctors need to consider psychological and social factors affecting patients' health.
• Understanding emotional responses and coping strategies is important for patients.

Diversity and Stereotyping

• This section discusses how stereotypes arise from normal cognitive processes.
• This section explores how cognitive processes contribute to thinking in terms of categories, and how this can lead to negative attitudes toward diverse groups.
• Students will also need to challenge their own stereotypes around disability.

Learning Outcomes

• Students need to understand how normal human cognitive functions lead to stereotypical thinking.
• Students need to reflect on and challenge their personal stereotypes surrounding disability.

Why Do Medical Students Study Diversity?

• Meeting GMC requirements.
• Increasing knowledge and awareness of patient diversity.
• Increasing awareness of stereotypes and how to challenge them.

Why is Human Diversity Relevant?

• Different groups face different health problems, lifestyles (impacting health), want and need different services, hold differing health beliefs, engage in diverse health behaviors, and have varying health needs.

Duties of Good Medical Practice

• Treat patients fairly and with respect.
• Consider all patient backgrounds, including age, beliefs, and choices.

As a Doctor You Will...

• Understand the importance of your own values, beliefs, and potential stereotypes.
• Be mindful of impacts on patient treatment and interactions with colleagues.
• Understand different groups' perspectives to provide good care.

Stereotypes

• Stereotypes are generalizations about social groups and their members.
• These can be seen as 'rules of thumb', but they can also be inaccurate or negative.

The Basis of Stereotypes

• Cognitive processes, especially memory storage and knowledge organization, in particular mental schemata and the role they play in structuring information and generating stereotypes.
• Stereotypes save 'processing' power – allowing anticipation and avoiding cognitive overload.

Schemata

• Schemata are cognitive structures storing and organizing information.
• Applying schemata to groups oversimplifies, overlooking diversity within the groups.

Stereotypes (continued)

• Social schemata encompass ideas and generalizations about people, roles, and relationships.
• Stereotypes often focus on negative traits, leading to prejudice.

In-group/Out-group Attributions

• Group identity influences self-esteem.
• Social categorization and comparisons can lead to positive views of one's own group and negative views of other groups that can perpetuate prejudice.

Social Cognition

• The influence of social and cognitive processes on behaviour.

Summary

• Everyone has stereotypes– but it's important to recognize how stereotypes are used.
• Be mindful of individual differences when meeting patients.
• Recognizing diversity and challenging negative stereotypes is crucial for effective patient care.

Understanding Behaviour in Old Age - The Psychology of Ageing

• Introduction to understanding of ageing, psychological issues, background on Geropsychology, and its considerations.

Ageing: Important contextual issues

• The importance of factors that influence the ageing experience.

Context - Population Ageing

• Increased longevity, reflected in survival rates across time periods, and global population trends impacting the aged population, specifically in number, over time globally.

Ageist Stereotypes of Old People's Behaviour

• Common stereotypes often negatively characterising older adults globally.

Intellect and Ageing

• Various studies highlight the complexities of cognitive functions across the lifespan and potential issues like biases, differences in evaluating cognitive abilities over time across various age groups and methodological limitations in studies.

Intellect and Ageing - Memory

• Memory decline in conjunction with old age and age-specific prevalence of memory-related diseases like dementia, in detail.

Intellect and Ageing - Summary

• Cognitive function decline, and cognitive enhancement.

The Impact of Social and Personality Factors on Behaviour in Old Age

• The role of social interactions and personality traits influencing behaviours into older adulthood, to consider.

Personality and Ageing: A Complex Relationship

• Exploration into potential changes in personality during ageing.

The Developmental Model of Personality Ageing

• Different developmental stages and psychological concepts shaping older adults' personalities, in detail.

The Trait Model of Personality Ageing

• Personality continuity and stability.

Social Adjustment and 'Successful' Ageing

• Models for successful ageing, in detail.

The Social Context of Ageing - Families in Old Age

• Family dynamics and generational impacts.

The Social Context of Ageing – Work and Retirement

• Historical perspective and shifts.

The Social Context of Ageing - Death and Bereavement

• Cultural attitudes towards mortality.

Conclusions

• Stereotypes about older adults are often inaccurate.
• Older people are diverse, and generalities aren't helpful.
• Later life isn't a period of stagnation.

Quotes

• A quote by Pope Paul VI highlights the contrast between youth and old age.