The practice of health psychology

The 5 goals of health psychology

Five main goals of health psychology…..

1. To prevent illness 2. To promote good health 3. To help with the treatment of

illness 4. To investigate the psychological

correlates of illness 5. To improve the health care system

and health policy

1. To prevent illness

Health psychologists have argued strongly that it is better to prevent an illness than to cure it once it has occurred.

Not only is it cheaper in the long-term, but also it is better for the ‘patient’.

The role of psychologists in preventing illness is to develop an understanding of how mental states can influence health behaviour. If we wish to stop people doing things that are

bad for their health, we have to understand why they do those things in the first place

2. To promote good health…..

Because health psychologists see health as being more than just the absence of disease, they are interested in actively promoting well-being.

A health psychologist would suggest that it is always possible to increase your level of physical and mental well-being.

3. To help with the treatment of illness…..

Despite preventative measures, people do fall ill, and health psychologists have a role in developing treatments that take psychological aspects into account.

E.g., a doctor may treat a heart patient using drugs or surgery, but a health psychologist could contribute to the treatment by introducing a stress management programme.

4. To investigate the psychological correlates of illness

This is a vital aspect of the work of health psychologists.

It involves carrying out research to find out which specific mental states are linked to which physical diseases.

For example, the knowledge that stress is linked to high blood pressure can enable practitioners to identify people at risk as early as possible.

5. To improve the health care system and health policy…..

The knowledge gained by health psychologists, and their general approach to health and illness, can inform the people who run health care systems and help them to provide a more effective service.