PSY8610 Principles of Health Psychology
Learners in this course examine behavioral and biomedical theory and research in order to gain an understanding of the contributions of psychological factors to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and illness. Learners evaluate research design and the role of research in health psychology and consider the effect of the patient-physician relationship, the importance of interprofessional work, and theories that predict health behaviors. In particular, learners define and explore adherence and psychoneuroimmunology, examine behavior related to the diseases of cancer and hypertension, assess treatment recommendations, and identify coping strategies for the patient and family. In addition, learners investigate prevention and wellness in the contexts of intentional and unintentional injuries and discuss health, life expectancy, and quality of life.