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2020/2021

Areas of Application of Health Psychology

Code: 102596 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2502443 Psychology OT 4 2
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Antoni Font Guiteras
Email:
Antonio.Font@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Other comments on languages

By default, the classes are done in Spanish. Individual consultations, tutorials, exams and written reports can be made in English or German, when the corresponding students request it.

Teachers

Gemma Peralta Perez

Prerequisites

Any.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This course focuses on the study of the most relevant diseases and health issues, from a biopsychosocial perspective. It looks at the importance of each issue, the study of the biopsychosocial determinants and psychobiological aspects involved in each organic system and takes a broad view of the possibilities of psychosocial approach (prevention, intervention, improved quality of life, etc.).

The objectives are:

  • Understand the importance and psychosocial consequences of major health problems
  • Recognize the main determinants involved in its development
  • Describe the main psychobiological and social aspects involved
  • Assess the potential and suitability of different forms of psychosocial intervention in addressing these health problems 

Competences

  • Analyse scientific texts written in English.
  • Communicate efficiently, using the appropriate media (oral, written or audio-visual) taking into account diversity and all elements that may ease communication or make it more difficult.
  • Formulate hypotheses about the demands and needs of the recipients.
  • Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
  • Obtain and organise relevant information for the service requested.
  • Recognise personal limitations and limitations of the discipline in the different areas of professional practice.
  • Recognise the determinants and risk factors for health and also the interaction between people and their physical and social environment.
  • Select and apply the methods and techniques in the plan for intervention in accordance with the established objective in relevant contexts for the service requested.
  • Use different ICTs for different purposes.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse scientific texts written in English.
  2. Apply assessment techniques.
  3. Apply communication skills.
  4. Formulate demands of people and institutions on health issues in functional terms.
  5. Identify the main obstacles to effective communication among professionals and recipients in the area of health.
  6. Identify the main psychological determinants affecting the development of health problems and ways of tackling them.
  7. Identify the need for intervention in health problems in different applied contexts.
  8. Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
  9. Recognise patterns and stages of health needs assessment.
  10. Recognise personal limitations and limitations of the discipline in the different areas of professional practice.
  11. Recognise the differential health demands depending on the age, gender and the nature of the disease or dysfunction.
  12. Recognise the ethical implications of the various programs, techniques and interventions in health psychology.
  13. Recognise the stages of intervention in health problems.
  14. Use different ICTs for different purposes.

Content

Health Literacy and Empowerment in Health

• Concept and dimensions of health literacy

• Changes in the health care model: participatory medicine

• Levels of health information

• Patient Empowerment: process and examples

• e-health

 

Oncological psychology

• Epidemiological and medical aspects of cancer treatment.
• Strategy for the Development of Oncological Psychology
• Psychological factors in cancer
• Intervention in Oncological Psychology
• Multidisciplinary teams and psychological therapies in cancer treatment.

 

Palliative care
• Definition, development and characteristics of palliative care

• Processes and psychological models in terminally ill patients

• Intervention in palliative care

• Pros and cons of euthanasia

• The process of bereavement


Overweight and obesity
• Definition and Epidemiology
• Features of the health problem
• Risk factors and protective factors
• Intervention
• Prevention


Diabetes
• Epidemiology
• Definition and basic concepts
• Disease Characteristics
• Intervention
• Prevention


Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

• Epidemiology and basic concepts

• Assessment and diagnosis

• Psychosocial needs

• Treatments

• Socio-sanitary aspects 

Methodology

Teaching methodology based mainly on master classes with support of ICTs and seminars for analysis and application of topics looked at in the subject, with discussion of readings related to the fields of application of the Psychology of Health, and role-playing.

N.B. The proposed teaching and assessment methodologies may experience some modifications as a result of the restrictions on face-to-face learning imposed by the health authorities. The teaching staff will use the Moodle classroom or the usual communication channel to specify whether the different directed and assessment activities are to be carried out on site or online, as instructed by the Faculty.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Master classes with ICT support and activities with the large group 24 0.96 4, 6, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 10
Seminars of analysis, debate and applications 12 0.48 1, 3, 6, 5, 7, 8, 14
Type: Supervised      
Support to the elaboration of works and reports 12 0.48 6, 7, 9, 13
Type: Autonomous      
Readings and preparation of expositions 24 0.96 1, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 12, 10, 14
Studying 50 2 6, 7, 9, 13
Works, field activities 24 0.96 3, 2, 4, 6, 7

Assessment

Two partial exams will be undertaken, each worth 35% of the final grade. The grades obtained in two blocks of activity reports related to the seminars are added, each of them will count 15% of the final grade (30% together).

To pass the subject, the average of marks of the two partial exams (assessments 2 and 4) must be equal or superior to 5 (on a scale from 0 to 10). That is, a minimum of 3.5 points must be obtained in the sum of assessments 2 and 4.

In total, the students are offered 4 assessments, which are worth 10 points:

Assessment 1: Written report (individual or group) of activities related to seminars 1, 2 and 3: 1.5 points

Assessment 2: Written test on areas 1, 2 and 3 of the programme: 3.5 points

Assessment 3: Written report (individual or group) of activities related to seminars 4, 5 and 6: 1,5 points

Assessment 4: Written test on areas 4, 5 and 6 of the programme: 3.5 points.

The reports for assessments 1 and 3 are submitted by using the Moodle platform. EV1: Final submission: Before the start of the first assessment period. EV3: Final submission: Before the start of the second assessment period.

Assessments 2 and 4 are face-to-face written tests (multiple choice test). EV2: During the first assessment period. EV4: During the second assessment period.

The final grade is the sum of the four evidences. No additional tests are undertaken to improve the grades obtained in the four evidences.

The subject is deemed to be passed if 5 or more points are obtained in the sum of the 4 assessments, as long as 3.4 points or more have been obtained in the sum of assessments 2 and 4. Not meeting these criteria means that a maximum grade of 4.9 marks (range 0-10) can be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.

A student who has submitted assessments with a weighting equal to or greater than 4 points (40%) will obtain a grade. A student with lower assessment grades will be "not evaluable".

 

Re-assessment

All the following criteria must be met in order to go to re-assessment:

a) Having obtained between 3.5 and less than 5 points in the continuous assessment.

b) The weight of the assessments which the student has submitted during the course must be 66.7% or more.

Characteristics of the resit test:

It will consist in re-taking Ev2 and / or Ev4 assessments, with the same characteristics and correction criteria as in the first time. Assessments EV1 and EV3 cannot be re-assessed, because it is not possible to repeat the seminars (so, the same grades will be added to the final grade).

Re-assessment will take place in the period allocated for resits, the day and time being determined by the Faculty.

No unique final synthesis test for students who enroll for the second time or more is anticipated.

You will find the assessment criteria of the Faculty following the link https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
EVIDENCE 1: Reports (a, b, c) related to the first three seminars 15% 0 0 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14
EVIDENCE 2: Written test, about the topics 1, 2 and 3 35% 2 0.08 6, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 12, 10
EVIDENCE 3: Reports (a, b, c) related to the last three seminars 15% 0 0 1, 3, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14
EVIDENCE 4: Written test, about the topics 4, 5 and 6 35% 2 0.08 6, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 12, 10

Bibliography

Basic:

Amigo Váquez, I, Fernández Rodríguez, C. y Pérez Álvarez, M. (2009). Manual de psicologia de la Salud (3 ed.) Madrid: Pirámide.

Brannon. L i Feist, J. (2001). Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: Paraninfo. 

Gil Moncayo, F. (2000). Manual de Psico-oncología. Madrid: Nova Sidonia.

Gil Roales-Nieto, J (2004). Psicología de la Salud. Aproximación histórica, conceptual y aplicaciones. Madrid: Pirámide.

Psicooncología: Investigación yclínica biopsicosocial en oncología: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/ejemplar?codigo=366493

Taylor, S. (2007). Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: McGraw-Hil

 

Complementary:

Asociación Española Contra el Càncer: http://www.todocancer.com/esp

Asociación Internacional de Psicooncología: http://www.ipos-society.org/congress/psychosocial_academy.aspx

Associació de Diabètics de Catalunya: http://www.adc.cat/

Avellaneda, A.; Martínez, I. (2008). Síndrome de Fatiga Crónica. Documento de consenso. Madrid: Editorial Médica.

de Miquel, C.A. et al. (2010). Documento de Consenso interdisciplinar para el tratamiento de la fibromialgia. Actas españolas de psiquiatría, 38(2), 108-121.

Estrategia NAOS: http://www.naos.aesan.msc.es/

Fundación para la Diabetes: http://www.fundaciondiabetes.org/

Health Literacy. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthliteracy.html

Internacional Obesity Task Force (IOTF): http://www.iotf.org/

Ogden, J. (2007). Essential readings in health psychology. Berkshire, UK: Open University Press

ONUSIDA. http://www.unaids.org/es

Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS): http://www.who.int/es/

Pérez, M., Fernández, J.R., Fernández, C. y Amigo, I. (2003). Guía de tratamientos psicológicos eficaces II: Psicología dela Salud. Madrid: Pirámide.

Revista interdisciplinar de Psicooncología: http://www.ucm.es/info/apsom/revistapsicooncologia/

Sociedad Americana contra el Cáncer: http://www.cancer.org/Espanol/index

Sociedad Española de Cuidados Paliativos: http://www.secpal.com

Sociedad Española de Diabetes: http://www.sediabetes.org/

Sociedad Española para el Estudio de la Obesidad (SEEDO): http://www.seedo.es/