Health, Stress,

and Coping
CHAPTER 13

Lifestyle and leading causes of

death in the United States
Heart

Disease

Stroke
Accidents

Cancer
Lung Disease
Pneumonia/Flu

Diabetes

HIV/AIDS

Suicide

Liver Disease

All

can be prevented by changing behavior.

Health Psychology
Epidemiological

Studies: Largescale research to identify risk

factors that lead to developing a
disease.

Epidemiological Studies
These

studies have revealed that aspects

of our personality and certain life
experiences play a role in health and
longevity.

Children

whose parents divorced before

they reached age 21 were more likely to
die prematurely than those whose parents
did not divorce or did so after age 21.

STRESS
Our

response to events that disrupt or

threaten to disrupt our physical or
psychological functioning.

Stressors-

Events or situations in our

environment that cause stress.

STRESSORS
1. Events that are so intense that we overload and cannot adapt

2. They evoke contradictions in us- approach and avoid

3. They are beyond our control

Cognitive Appraisal

The situation threatens their primary goals

They will be unable to cope with these dangers/demands

(secondary appraisal)

(primary appraisal)

STRESS
General Adaptation Syndrome- response to stress
1.

Alarm- mobilization of central nervous system

activity

2.

Resistance- organism tries to cope

3.

Exhaustion- organism fails to overcome the stress

and depletes its coping resources

STRESS MAJOR
CAUSES
- Stressful Life Events

Chronic stressors increase risk of disease

-Hassles

of daily life- annoying minor events

-Work-related

stress:

=Role conflicts- differing demands from differing

bosses
=Performance appraisals

REDUCING WORK
STRESS
Consider the fit between the person and the
work environment
Sources

of social support

Employers

measures

can implement stress-reducing

EFFECTS OF STRESS
Source

of 50% to 70% of physical illness

Interferes

with our immune system

Interferes

with task performance

Optimists

are more resistant to stress than

pessimists

The HEALTH BELIEF

Whether a person practices a certain health behavior or not
MODEL
depends
on their concern over a threat to their health and
the belief that the behavior will reduce the threat.
Ex:

Unprotected sex and HIV/AIDS

Greater

patient-doctor communication, rapport, and

satisfaction leads to better health outcomes

EFFECTS OF THOUGHTS AND

ACTIONS ON HEALTH
Aspects

of our behavior, perceptions and personality can

affect the onset and course of cancer

Risk

factors: aspects of our behavior or environment that

influence our chances of getting a disease
Ex- me and
cancer

Smoking-

anything? Nicotine. Air pollution?

DIET and NUTRITION

What

you eat may save your life.

Cholesterol

in our blood- Can be reduced by eating a diet

low in fats, cholesterol and calories and high in fiber, fruits
and vegetables.

Self-Determination

Theory- Motivation for change is

best when it comes from the person (autonomous
motivation) and not as good if it comes from
others- family, doctor (controlled motivation)

ALCOHOL and HEALTH

Some

evidence exists that some alcohol

consumption contributes to health.

Overall,

risks outweigh benefits of alcohol- liver

disease, depression, anger issues, poor work and
family life.

EMOTIONS and HEALTH

Type

D personality- Coping with stress by

keeping negative emotions inside. Could
lead to suppressed immune system.

Hypertension-

The pressure of the blood

in the vessels is high.

HEALTH and AIDS

It

can take ten years for signs of AIDS to show.

An

individual can be infected only if the virus is introduced

directly into the bloodstream.

The most effective means to combat AIDS is prevention programs

focused on changing behavior:

using used needles to inject drugs

unprotected sex with someone who has HIV or AIDS

having sex with multiple partners

IMB-

Information, Motivation, Behavior Skills

PROMOTING WELLNESS

Diet-

Less meat and animal fat; more grains, vegetables,

milk (?) and fruits

Regular

physical activity: 15 minutes of running or 30

minutes of walking- shorter, more intense workouts appear
to be better

Information
Early

about health risks

screening for disease: get regular check-ups

Self-examination-

cancers

especially for breast and testicular

COPING: MANAGING
STRESS
Progressive relaxation- alternately flexing and relaxing
one muscle group in the body at a time

Time

management- plan your schedule so time works for

you, not against you

Cognitive

restructuring- Pay attention to what you say to

yourself when you are stressed. Seek other ways to
understand your situation- see if there is something
funny or pleasant in the situation.