Psycology and Health Problems

Psychology and Health Problems

Psychology and Health Problems

SUMMARY

In chapter four, we were shown a diagram. In this diagram were different types of factors that play a part in our health. The multi-factorial model can be used in many different ways in psychology. This model has helped psychology be able to better understand and manage many health problems that we are faced with every day. It also uses genetic and lifestyle factors that may help diagnose and prevent medical problems that are accruing now or even in the future. When I first took a look at the multi-factorial model, I didn’t really understand how it plays a role in diagnosing someone. Now I think I understand how this works! Going into detail about the model and how it is made up of so many different factors is how it can determine the health of a person and how much they are at risk to a certain illness. These factors are: biological factors, sociocultural factors, environmental factors, personality, behavior, and stressors. Some of these factors, we may have some type of control over such as behavior. Then there are some factors that we may not have any control over, such as biological factors.

EXAMPLES

One example that I would like to use while keeping the multi-factorial model in mind is a person at risk of having a heart attack.   You could look at the different factors that could be a key to prevention for this patient.   One would look at the stressors. What kind of stress is the patient into? What causes the stressors? Then you would also look into the patient’s behavior. The behavior could shed some light on the patients eating habits and diet. Sometimes a person’s diet could be the key to the heart problems. Also, you could look in their behavior to see if that person is a smoker. Sometimes smoking is linked to heart attacks.
Another example could be an overweight patient that has a history of smoking. This is a big problem. The patient could be shown that they are at...