Description
Health, as we see it today, is more than just the absence of disease, but instead a state of physical, mental, and social well being. Health Psychology examines the psychological and social factors that lead to the enhancement of health, the prevention and treatment of illness, and the evaluation and modification of health policies that influence health care. The class will introduce students to basic mechanisms and pathways connecting the central nervous system ("the mind") with the periphery of the organism ("the body"), with a focus on the psychological concept of stress, it's biological consequences, and coping. -how pychological factors are implicated in pathogenesis, exacerbation, or amelioration of diseases including coronary heart disease, diabetes, AIDS, cancer, and arthritis. -how sociological factors affect our health, what individuals and society can do to prevent disease, and how health psychology can contribute to human health.