ntroducing Health Psychology

introducing Health Psychology CHAPT ER 1 Introducing Health Psychology Lecture Outline I. The Changing Field of Health During the 20th century, changes in the field of health were accompanied by changing patterns of disease. In 1900, most diseases were short-duration, infectious diseases, but by the end of the century, behavior and lifestyle were the underlying causes of most diseases. These changes have influenced the cost of medical care and even the definition of health, which point to the possibility that a biopsychosocial approach may provide a better model than the biomedical model. A. Patterns of Disease and Death In recent years chronic diseases have become the leading causes of death in the United States and many other countries around the world, especially industrialized ones. In 1900, three of the leading causes of death were pneumonia, influenza, and tuberculosis, while in 2009 three of the leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, and stroke. These three causes of death account for about 60% of deaths in the United States. These causes of death have declined in recent years. Unintentional injuries and other diseases that primarily affect young and middle-aged people have increased in recent years. Diseases that affect older people, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson’s disease, are increasing as the U.S. population ages. 1. Age Age is an important factor in mortality. Cardiovascular disease and cancer account for a large percentage of death in the US, but they are not the leading cause of death for younger adults. For younger adults, the leading cause of death is unintentional injuries, and violent deaths, such as suicide or homicide. 2. Ethnicity, Income, and Disease The United States ranks 24th among industrialized nations in life expectancy, indicating that many countries are healthier. In addition, ethnicity is a factor in life expectancy, but economic status and educational level are both related to ethnic background. African Americans have higher rates of health problems than European Americans. Hispanic Americans also experience poverty, low educational levels, and negative effects to health.