FMP 046 • Defining Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine (Theory and Practice)

“Motivation emerges on our path, not before it.”

Health Psychology: Building Our Framework

In today’s episode, we return to basics and provide a detailed framework for positive health outcomes through the lens of Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine. In the past, we have barely touched on the important contribution that behaviour has on physical and emotional wellbeing. With an understanding that approximately 50% of mortality from leading causes of death is related to behaviour, it is clear that our choices impact both longevity and quality of life, especially in our last two decades.

Episode Outline

Welcome to Episode 046: Defining Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine

1. What We Do:
   • Behavioural Medicine and Health Psychology
   • Providing easily accessible content (e.g., The CHANGES Model) designed to help you design your own transformative experience.
2. Today:
   • Back to Basics: Defining our framework through evidence-based clinical practice and research in health psychology.
   • Significant content comes from the Health Psychology primer by Blackwell Publishing.
3. Listener Question:
   • “ITB syndrome is not tendonitis, right?”
     • Fascia on the thigh known as the Fascia Lata.
     • Fascia is tissue that holds everything together and responds to use (thickens).
     • Fascia can become irritated and the fluid between the fascia layers Thickens.
     • ITB syndrome is a common running injury. Reduce load and let it heal!

Health Psychology and Behavioural medicine Framework

1. Definitions:
   • Health Psychology
   • Behavioural Medicine
2. Defining Illness:
   • 50% of mortality from leading causes of death is due to behaviour.
     • It is estimated that tobacco consumption accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths, alcohol 3 %, diet 35%, sexual behaviour 7%.
     • Approximately 75% of all deaths related to cancer have a behavioural component (e.g., 90% of all lung cancer deaths are related to smoking).
3. The Role of Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine – Our Beliefs:
   • Internal vs. External Beliefs:
     • Attributional Style (where it came from, internal vs. external).
     • Locus of Control (what I can do about it, internal vs. external).
   • Unrealistic Optimism: 
     • It cant happen to me leads to mismatch between risk and susceptibility.
     • Cognitive factors include:
       • lack of personal experience with the problem;
       • the belief that the problem is preventable by individual action;
       • the believe that if the problem had not appeared that it will not appear in the future; and
       • the belief that the potential problem is infrequent.
4. Promoting Change:
   • Assessing Stages of Change:
     • Pre-contemplative, vs. Contemplative, vs. Preparation, vs Action, vs Maintenance.
   • The Health Belief Model:
     • By Rosenstock in 1966, and further by Becker through the 70s and 80s.
     • “How do we predict preventative health behaviours and behavioural response in acutely and chronically ill patients.”
     • Core Beliefs – Original Theory with Becker Revision:
       • Susceptibility to Illness: The chances of getting sick.
       • Severity: An understanding of how illness actually can be.
       • Cost: In behavioural change, what is the perceived cost (increased anxiety).
       • Benefits: Look better, save money, etc.
       • The call to action: internal vs. external.
       • Health Motivation: Readiness to be concerned (contemplative).
       • Perceived Control: Confidence that stop a behaviour that has impact.
5. Implementing Change From a Health Psychology Perspective:
   • Work with a clinician depending on the complexity of changes you want to make
   • Consider the long game.
     • We focus a lot on metrics, that in reality are short game benchmarks for change.
     • Take the long game – In other words, spend less time looking at the number on the scale.
       • Instead, focus on how you feel emotionally over the course of time.
       • Instead, focus on perceived strength – Do your long walks or run feel easier and you can go faster?
       • Instead, focus on overall mobility and endurance – As I age, does my improved mobility and endurance predict a happier life in my last two decades.
       • Remember, health outcomes, good or bad, are cumulative – Rarely sudden.
6. We Promote:
   • Improved physical health through physical activity (build on consistency and sustainability).
   • Improved physical health by adopting a plant based, even vegan, diet.
   • Improved mental health and emotional wellbeing through direct assessment and interruption of cognitive distortions and thinking fallacies.
   • Improved spiritual health through mindfulness and meditation, your connection a greater understanding of purpose and how we fit.