Workgroup 1: Health and Medical Psychology

There are three forms of prevention. Primary prevention is a method to keep people healthy for as long as possible. The target group of this form of prevention is healthy people. Secondary prevention focuses on finding early signs of an illness. This is done by screening and early treatment. The symptoms that may occur are still reversible at this stage. The target group for secondary prevention is (healthy) people with an increased risk of developing a certain condition. Tertiary prevention is based on the prevention of symptoms growing worse and rehabilitation. The people who this type of prevention is aimed at have already developed a certain condition.

It is important to support healthy behaviour. This is because health behaviour is related to mortality and morbidity. In the 1900s the main cause of death were infections, like flue and lung infections, tuberculoses, measles and typhus. Now, in the 2000s, the main cause of death are chronic diseases, like heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and kidney diseases. Another reason why it is important to change behaviour is because socio-demographical differences in health behaviour increase social economic differences, which is partly responsible for life expectancies between groups. A third reason why it is important to change behaviour is because prevalence of risk behaviours is high. Finally, health behaviour is not always an informed choice. People are not always aware of their unhealthy behaviour, like picking unhealthy food in the supermarket because it is placed on the shelves which are well visible, or the size of plates in restaurant which trick your mind in the portions of your food.

Example: Why do some people smoke and others do not?

In this workgroup we tried to figure out some determinants of (un)healthy behaviour. These factors can occur on individual level, social level and in a social context.

Determinants can be influencable or not. Factors which cannot be influenced are age, gender, SES, ethnicity and personality. Those which can be influenced are explained in the models explain during the first lecture.

Examples of individual level factors are operant conditioning, expectations of outcomes, lack of other coping strategies (smoking is the only thing to get me calmed down), attitude, beliefs and priorities. Examples of social level factors are peer pressure, social norms and upbringing. Examples of factors in a social context are availability of certain services and alternatives, stimuli (commercials) and costs.