What is Health Psychology?
The European Federation of Professional Psychologist’s Associations
(EFPPA) Task Force on Health Psychology defined health psychology as follows
(with minor modifications): Health Psychology is the application of psychological
theory, methods and research to health, physical illness and health care.
It is concerned with the behavioural and psychological aspects of promotion,
improvement and maintenance of health.
The promotion and maintenance of health involves behavioural and psychosocial
processes at the interface between the individual, the health care system
and society.
Health psychologists carry out many different types of professional work
concerned with the enhancement of psychology’s contribution to healthcare.
Examples may include:
• One-to-one and group client work with (physically unwell) patients
in clinical settings
• Development of healthcare policy at local, regional, national,
and international levels
• Health promotion in the community and in organisations
• Training in psychology for health professionals (e.g., behavioural
medicine, psychosomatic medicine) and the education of trainee health
psychologists
• Development of health-management interventions through research
• Epidemiological investigations directed at health promotion
As concrete examples, the following areas are often the target of health
psychology interventions:
• Acute coronary heart disease (e.g., reduction of blood pressure
responsivity)
• Chronic coronary heart disease (e.g., promotion of aerobically
healthy habits)
• Chronic pain (e.g., pain management techniques)
• Orthopaedic injury (e.g., psychological adjustment to immobility,
enhancement of rehabilitation success)
• Diabetes mellitus (e.g., weight management, adherence to medication
regimens)
• Paediatrics (e.g., valid assessment of symptoms in infants)
• Sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., promotion of safe sex behaviour)
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