Course Contents

1 What is Health Psychology? Health Psychology as an area of specialization. The goals of Health Psychology 2 What is health?Health Maintenance. 3 Psychological well being of the physically ill; Normal and pathological response to ill health and stress 4 An overview of the role of risk factors, psychological variables and interventions in some common diseases; Cancer 5 HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; Problems associated with reproductive health 6 Diabetes; Accidents and head injury 7 Asthma and Habit Disorders 9 Understanding and managing pain; The nature of pain; The Biopsychosocial theory of pain 10 The learning approach; Measuring pain; Managing acute and chronic pain; Psychological, Pharmacological, surgical and sensory control of pain 11 Health education and community mobilization; Different methods of health education 12 Developing health education materials 13 Helping the terminally; Psychological issues in advancing illness 14 Adjustment to dying; Psychological management of the dying and the terminally ill 15 Understanding grief and bereavement; Grief and bereavement therapy 16 Patient-practitioner relationship; patient satisfaction and compliance

Course Synopsis

Health Psychology is a relatively new, but rapidly growing sub-discipline within Psychology that relates to the application of the theories, methods and knowledge in psychology to issues of health, illness and health care. The aim of the course is to acquaint the students with Health Psychology as an area of specialization and enable students to acquire an in-depth understanding of how psychological methods and principles can be applied for the promotion and maintenance of health as well as the prevention, management and treatment of illness.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Develop an understanding and appreciation of the complex interplay between one's physical well-being and illness and a variety of biological, psychological, socio-cultural and existential/spiritual factors 2. Learn how psychological methods, theories, and principles can be applied to enhance biomedical approaches for promoting health and treating illness 3. Develop skills for designing programs to improve one's own and others' personal health habits and lifestyles 4. Become aware of the impact that disabling or life-threatening illnesses have on patients and their families. 5. Discover how psychological methods and principles can be applied to help patients cope with chronic illness and manage pain