University of Minnesota Duluth

PSY 4500 Health Psychology

Summer 2002

 

Instructor:                        Dr. Lisa Vogelsang

Time & Place:                  MTWThF  8:00 – 10:55 am, ENG 118

Office:                               322 Bohannon  Hall

Phone:                               (218) 726-8605

E-mail:                              lvogelsa@d.umn.edu

Office Hours:                   MonTuWedThurs 11:05 – 12:00 or by appointment

Psy Office:                        (218) 726-7117

Credits:                             3 credit hours

Class Alias Email:            psy4500-100-su2002

 

Required Text:                 Brannon, L. & Feist, J. (2000). Health psychology (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

                 

Catalog Course Description:       Concepts, issues, and methods of health psychology; health maintenance and illness prevention integrating biological, psychological, an social factors; utilization of health psychological assessments; and interdisciplinary aspects of health psychology.

 

Course Objectives: As an outcome of completing this course, students are expected to be able to:           

1.      Describe biopsychosocial model of health psychology.

2.      Examine process and communication in medical care and the influence of the medical model.

3.      Evaluate pseudoscience from real science in health and health psychology issues.

4.      Assess personal factors utilizing various self-assessment instruments relating to such topics as stress, depression, pain, health locus of control, etc. and their relationship to health psychology programming.

5.      Integrate the biopsychosocial models of health maintenance and illness prevention strategies.

6.      Investigate and articulate interdisciplinary aspects of health psychology in such areas as behavioral medicine, sociology, anthropology, allied health, medicine, health, biology, physiology, and physical education.

7.      Explore aging, terminal illness, and death from a health psychology perspective.

 

 

Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which may affect their ability to perform in this class, are requested to inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester.   Adaptation of methods, materials, or testing may be made as required to provide for equitable participation.

                 

                 

                  “[S]uccessful education can only occur in an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and intolerance, and from their harmful effects.  Educational excellence depends on the creation and maintenance of environments in which all members of the academic community can thrive, working up to their full potential.”  (“Minnesota’s Commitment to Educational Excellence” developed by the Presidents Task Force: Strengthening Excellence through Diversity, June, 1990).

 

Instructional Methods:    Lecture/discussion, multimedia, class assignments, demonstration/participation, group work/computer/discussion, computer assignments, guest speakers, quizzes and other outside reading and activities.

CEHSP Mission:                               

The Psychology Department is housed in the College of Education and Human Service Professions (CEHSP). All of the departments in CEHSP have adopted a model which is called the “Learner-Sensitive Professional”.

The goal of each department in CEHSP is to develop highly functioning, learner-sensitive professionals in whatever major and profession is chosen.  Everyone is a learner as we progress in life no matter what job or career one has.  The goal of all curriculums in CEHSP is to teach students to be sensitive and aware of the needs of all learners. In order to accomplish this, the college professes a reliance on five principles. They are respect for Diversity, Collaboration, Reflection, Empowerment, and the use of Technology.  It is my goal to facilitate student learning in the area of health psychology while teaching and utilizing the five principles mentioned above.

 

Assessment Measures:

      Quizzes:  There will be a 10 point quiz covering each chapter in the text.  Since there are 17 chapters, there will be 17 individual quizzes for each chapter in the text.  The lowest 2 quiz grades will be dropped for a total of 150 points from quizzes.  Each quiz can include all text readings and in-class material, handouts, and web material covered during those chapters.  Each quiz is worth 10 points and will be multiple-choice questions.  The lowest quiz scores of the 17 quizzes will be dropped.

 

All students are expected to take quizzes at the scheduled time.  There will be NO MAKE-UP QUIZZES given.  Exceptions are illness with a doctor’s excuse, or a University – approved campus absence.  For example, if you are an athlete, you must inform me when you will be absent before the absence.

 

      Health Journal:  Students will keep a journal of all inventories that introduce the chapters accompanied by a written reflection about it.  All other additional inventories and reflection papers and in-class and out of class assignments will be collected into this journal.  It is worth 150 points.

      Web Evaluation Paper:  Students will link to the following web site to complete this short paper as part of your health journal.   http://www.library.jhu.edu/elp/useit/evaluate/index.html

Students are to read the information contained on this site and may utilize some of the links contained in it for further information (such as: Information and its Counterfeits: Propaganda, Misinformation and Disinformation , the following link is no longer on the main web page above, but you can access further information about authorship, publishing body, and currency from the following link:   Practical steps for evaluating authorship, publishing body, and currency.).  Students are to select an article on any aspect of health psychology covered in the text from a reputable web site and evaluate it according to the six criteria set forth from the web site above.  For the paper, students will include the following: 1) Title page with title, author, and web URL (address) plus your name and student ID number, 2) paragraph summarizing the article 3) paragraphs for each of the six criteria assessing how the article matches up with those criteria 4) Conclusion & Recommendations about the article: write your impressions of the article and whether you would recommend it to others – why or why not. 5) copy of first page (only) of the article 6) copy of first page (only) from the Home Page of the web site from which the  article is taken.  (e.g., Article taken from APA’s web site about media violence and violence in children – copy first page of article and first page of APA’s home page[ http://www.apa.org/ ]. 

 

Behavior Change Program:  Students will be required to plan and carry out the beginnings of a behavior change program.  Required elements include a 2-3 day preprogram diary, plan, monitoring system, rewards or reinforcement contingencies, short and long term goals, and final results with refection comments.  It is worth 100 points.

 

      Participation:   Students will receive 3.5 points per day for a total of 50 points for the class for attending and participating in class activities.  Attendance is expected. Significant learning occurs through student participation in class lecture-discussion, multimedia, class activities, and group discussion. 

 

      Avocation Presentation:  Students will present briefly to the class about an activity, hobby, leisure activity or other avocation that centers, anchors, or otherwise relaxes them in some way.  Students may show or demonstrate a skill, a product, or discuss stress management strategies that work for them.  It is hoped that students contemplating what they really enjoy will take personal inventory and see how often they are really doing this enjoyable activity currently.  How are we using our time and are our lives balanced?  What aspects of life center us and make us feel connected or anchored?  What relieves the stresses of the day for us?  Obtaining answers to these questions are the underlying purposes of this assignment.  It is worth 50 points.

 

 

Evaluation:

      Quizzes: (15 out of 17 @ 10 points each)                      150 Points

      Health Journal                                                               150 Points

      Behavior Change Program                                            100 Points

      Participation                                                                   50 Points

      Avocation Presentation                                                   50 Points      ___________________________________________________

      TOTAL POINTS                                                        500  Points

 

 

A   =          90 - 100%                               C         =          70 - 74%

A-  =          88 – 89%                                 C-        =          68 – 69%

B+ =          85 – 87%                                 D+       =          65 – 67%

B    =          80 - 84%                                 D         =          58 - 64%

B-  =          78 – 79%                                 F          =          < 58%

C+ =          75 – 77%

 

Incompletes will not be given without extraordinary circumstances and prior discussion and permission of the instructor.

 

Tentative Class Schedule

 

                              READINGS/CHAPTERS/

DATE                                            Quizzes Chapters                      COURSE TOPIC

 

Mon           1 May 20         Intro./ Chap. 1  , Chap2            Intro Health Psy; Conducting Health Research

Tues           2 May 21           2-3       Quiz Ch. 1                    Conduct Health Research; Seeking Health Care

Wed           3 May 22           4,5,6    Quiz Ch. 2, 3                Adherence;Define,Measure,& Understand Stress

Thur           4 May 23           6,7       Quiz Ch. 4,5                 Understanding Stress, Disease & Pain

Fri              5 May 24           7,8       Quiz Ch. 6,7,                Understanding and Coping with Stress & Pain

Mon           6 May 27           Memorial Day                        No class                                                          3

Tues           7 May 28           8,9       Quiz Ch. 8                    Stress / Pain, Beh Factors in Card-Vasc Disease                

Wed           8 May 29           10,11   Quiz Ch. 9                    Beh Factors in Cancer; Living w/Chronic Illness

Thur           9 May 30           12        Quiz Ch. 10, 11            Preventing Injuries 

Fri              10 May 31         13        Quiz Ch. 12                  Smoking Tobacco

Mon           11 June 3           14        Quiz Ch. 13                  Using Alcohol and Other Drugs

Tues           12 June 4              15        Quiz Ch. 14                  Eating To Control Weight/Nutrition      

Wed           13 June 5           16        Quiz Ch. 15                  Exercising

Thur           14 June 6           17        Quiz Ch. 16                  Future Challenges/ Avocation Presentations

Fri              15 June 7                          Quiz Ch. 17                  Avocation Presentations