HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

PSY2633
MS. STEF SAVONA VENTURA
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGIST
STEFFI.SAVONA@GMAIL.COM
Hello!! 
TEXT

Taylor, S.E. (2018) Health Psychology ,

8th edition. Mc-Graw-Hill
Ogden, J. (2000). Health Psychology : A
Text Book (2nd Edition) (pdf can be
found on this link: )
Other references will be supplied
during the course
 COURSE GOALS
Provide a broad based overview
of the field of Health Psychology
from a biopsychosocial
perspective
Provide an understanding of the
challenges involved in health
behavior change
Discuss and critically evaluate
psychology’s contribution to the:
1.Promotion and maintenance of
health
2.Prevention and treatment of
illness
3.Improvement of health care
and health policy
COURSE CONTENT
Introduction to
Health Psychology:
1.Health and illness
2.The goals of health
psychology
3.Biomedical and
biopsychosocial
perspectives
Readings Taylor
Chapter 1 pgs. 2 -
12
COURSE CONTENT
Health Behaviour
and Primary
Prevention
1.Health Behaviours
2.Health Promoting
Behaviour
3.Health Compromising
Behaviour
Readings Taylor
Chapter 3 – 5
COURSE CONT
Stress and
Coping:
1.Stress
2.Coping,
Resiliency and
Social Support
Readings: Taylor
Chapters 6-7
COURSE CONTENT
Seeking and Using
Health Care
Services
1.Using Health
Services
2.Patients, Providers
and Treatment
Readings: Taylor
Chapters 8-9
COURSE CONTENT
Management of
Chronic and
Terminal Health
Disorders
Management of
Chronic Health
Disorders
Psychological
Issues in
Advancing and
Terminal Illness
Readings: Taylor
Chapters 11-12
 COURSE
CONTENT
The Management of Pain &
Discomfort
Theories, models and research
findings; pain management
Readings: Taylor Chapter 10

Cancer
Psychological issues in the causes,
treatment and coping with cancer
Readings: Taylor Chapters 14,
12
COURSE CONTENT
Sexual health,
AIDS and HIV
Readings: Taylor
Chapters 14, 12

Coping with
Coronary Heart
Disease
Readings: Taylor
Chapters 13, 11
ASSESSM
ENT
Exam : (June) 100 Multiple Choice Questions 85%
Group Presentations: (10th and 17th May ) 15%
10 minutes presentation on one of the following
topics:
 Choose one topic and join in groups of 5 (24
groups)
 You can create your own topic.
 Student rep to collect the group names and the
chosen topic
 Make use of research findings in your text
 Put references on one slide
 Relate to the Maltese context where possible
GROUP PRESENTATION
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Not all students need to speak, but the
final slide should include how the work
was divided
2. Assessment will be on planning and
preparation of topic, delivery and
communication, content, and structure
3. Presentations will be held on the last two
days of lectures
4. Presentations carry 15% of the grade; the
grade will be awarded to the whole group.
TOPIC 1

A report for a group of

sceptical doctors explaining
why the biopsychosocial
model is more effective in
explaining health and
illness than the
biodmedical model
TOPIC 2

Answer this question:

Why do some people
continue to engage in
unhealthy habits even if they
know these may compromise
their health? What factors
influence their behaviour?
TOPIC 3

Describe how the Stages of

Change Model would help
persons to quit smoking. What
supports would be needed at
each stage? What are the
advantages of this model over
other models?
TOPIC 4

You have been asked to design

a community health
programme to encourage the
Maltese population to engage
in more regular physical
exercise. What strategies
would you use in your
campaign
TOPIC 5

Design a comprehensive multimodal

cognitive behaviour programme for a
person who would like to reduce
his/her weight. Describe the
characteristics of the person, target
behaviours to be changed, the nature
of the interventions to be used.
Discuss the reasons for the inclusion
of the specific interventions.
TOPIC 6

Identify a health behaviour of

your own you would like to
modify- design a cognitive
behaviour modification
programme to change your
behaviour, based on research
evidence
TOPIC 7

Design a poster for

adolescents to discourage
them from cigarette smoking.
Describe what message you
are trying to get across and
what strategies you are using
in seeking to change their
behaviour
TOPIC 8

Devise a talk for university

students on what is stress, the
benefits and hazards of stress,
and what students can do to
cope effectively with stress,
and prevent themselves from
becoming overstressed during
exams.
TOPIC 9

A presentation to a group of
health professionals explaining
How stress may lead to
illness
How psychological factors
may mediate the relationship
between stress and illness
TOPIC 10

You are the administrative board of a

private hospital that is committed to
increasing patient satisfaction with
care. Describe your patients’ profile.
Describe the steps you might take to
minimise depersonalisation, enhance
patient perceptions of control and
provide more patient centred care.
TOPIC 11

Design a brief, user friendly

brochure for clinic
practitioners on the way they
may help to increase patient
adherence with the medical
regimen
TOPIC 12

Design a brief, user friendly

brochure for health carers on
how they may help patients
cope with chronic pain. You
may focus on one particular
condition.
TOPIC 13

Select one of the chronic illnesses

discussed in your text and consider the
ways in which your life might change if
you had to cope with this condition on
a daily basis. Consider the physical
environment, your daily activities, your
relationships with other people, etc
What may help you to cope effectively
with this condition?
TOPIC 14

You are asked to make a

presentation to Hearts Club, a
support group for persons with
CHD, on the
the risk factors for CHD
psycho-social factors related
to rehabilitation and recovery
TOPIC 15

Design a poster or brochure to

raise awareness on ONE of the
following:
Skin cancer as a result of
sunbathing
Breast cancer
TOPIC 16

Prepare a presentation on HIV

prevention and AIDS
education for secondary
school students, identifying
the topics to be covered, how
these will be delivered, etc.
TOPIC 17

Design a poster for

adolescents to discourage
them from binge drinking.
Describe what message you
are trying to get across and
what strategies you are using
in seeking to change their
behaviour
TOPIC 18…
Other topics may be negotiated with lecturer