Chapter 1 – Health psychology context setting: Careers, cultures and diversity

One that affects the physical body, for example, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer can influence people’s thoughts, emotions and behaviour.

the interrelationship of how biological, psychological, social and cultural factors influence people’s physical health.

These are diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

Long-term conditions lasting more than six months, they can be managed, but not fully cured.

Refers to shared common cultural values, customs, language, they may also have shared histories and traditions.

These people are the original inhabitants of a region or country, who have distinct languages, cultural, social and historical traditions that are closely tied to their ancestral lands and share a common history of having been dominated by non-Indigenous settlers.

Programmes or strategies to prevent disease, improve and manage physical health conditions.

Evaluations of health services or interventions to see if they meet a predetermined standard.

Will explore and assess and what a service has achieved in terms of health outcomes.

The active participation of patients and the public to help shape health research, services and policies.

Helping people to take control of and to improve health habits.

To detect diseases at an asymptomatic stage.

Healthcare professionals from different disciplines working together to provide integrated patient care.

persistent overwhelming tiredness that is not helped by sleep or rest and can persist for years.

Bringing attention to present moment thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and the immediate environment, without judgement.

Getting patients nutritionally, emotionally and physically fit for treatment.

Help the patient recover from treatment or illness.

The shared rules or expectations for behaviour a group or society.

The assessment and treatment of physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing in serious illness.

Comfort, dignity and quality of life in the final stages of a terminal illness.

The shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours and traditions of a group or society.

The impact unequal or unfair care.

Negative attitudes or prejudice associated with marginalised identities.

The impacts of dominant countries taking over control of land, dominating Indigenous Peoples by subjugating their culture, values, language, knowledge and ways of life.

Some groups within society who are not afforded the same rights to healthcare as others or treated differently to marginalised identities.

Groups, such as the dominant culture holding more influence and access to resources which leads to inequality and inequity.

Providing everyone with the specific support that they require to live as healthy a life as possible.

Providing equal access to healthcare support.

The provision expert health psychology advice and guidance to clients.

Recognises that biomedical psychological and social factors can influence health and disease.

Views disease as being due to genetics, viruses, bacteria, chemical imbalances and trauma.

This is a process that involves colonised countries or peoples gaining independence, control of their land, culture and the right to self determination. It also includes challenging knowledge and practices based on Western-dominated perspectives related to healthcare and in psychology.

These are unequal power relations in which the dominant group or person makes decisions for and imposes their authority without consulting those who will be affected.

Viewing European culture, values and knowledge as being the acceptable standard or the standard that other cultures should aspire to, while devaluing other cultures and their knowledge.

Involves thinking and ways of understanding that are based on mainly European and or North American culture and scientific knowledge.

This is the concept of an individual or group having multiple identities, such as gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, low educational attainment and low socioeconomic status.

This refers to trauma that is passed down from one generation to another that has psychological and physical health implications, even when descendants did not have direct exposure to the original traumatic events.

Knowledge of the impact that social and cultural factors have on patients from the non-dominant culture and the importance of being sensitive to such factors when communicating with patients and delivering care.

Involves being aware of cultural values, beliefs, traditions and knowledge of others’ culture and being respectful of them when interacting with or treating patients.