Medical Health Psychology

Objectives

Teaching in medical health psychology is intended to provide students with an understanding of selected aspects of biological, psychological and social factors in sickness and health. The course objectives are to provide students with knowledge of how psychological processes influence health-related behaviour, traditional psychosomatic problems and conditions, and subjective health problems. The course will provide a basis for understanding the relationships between stress, psychosomatic illnesses, psychosomatic problems, and somatisation.

Content

The course addresses the epidemiology and treatment of subjective health complaints, effects of traumatic stress, and connections between psychosomatic illness, psychosomatic problems, and somatisation.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course, the students should have the following knowledge:

• How psychological processes influence health-related behaviour and traditional psychosomatic conditions
• Connections between psychosomatic illness, psychosomatic problems and somatisation
• The association between stress, psychological factors and functional gastrointestinal disorders
• Epidemiology and the treatment of subjective health problems