Health Psychology

1
Health Psychology

• Martin Dempster

2
Health Psychology

• Application of psychological theory, methods and
  research to health, physical illness and health
  care for the promotion and maintenance of
  well-being

3
What do Health Psychologists do?

• For example
• How do people adapt to chronic illness?
• What factors influence healthy eating?
• How is stress linked to heart disease?
• Why do patients often not take their medication
  as prescribed?
• How can we improve health services delivery?

4
Becoming a Health Psychologist

• It is necessary to have a primary degree in
  psychology (recognised by BPS or PSI)
• Must complete a period of postgraduate training
  which will provide appropriate knowledge base and
  supervised practice

5
Route to Chartered / Registered Health
Psychologist

• Stage 1 - MSc - certifies academic knowledge
  base.
• Stage 2 - at least 2 years supervised practice -
  certifies professional competence, research
  competence, competence in consultancy, teaching
  and training and delivery of behaviour change
  interventions.

6
Health Psychology Training knowledge base

• Lifespan perspectives and developmental processes
• Health-related cognitions and behaviour
• Psychoneuroimmunology
• Professional-patient communication
• Personality, health and disease
• Stress, illness and coping
• Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in the
  context of health-related behaviour

7
MSc Courses leading to Stage 1

• England
• London (City, Institute of Psychiatry,
  Metropolitan, Middlesex, Thames Valley, UCL,
  Westminster),
• Birmingham (Aston), Coventry, Stoke
  (Staffordshire), Bath, Preston (Central
  Lancashire), Derby, Luton (Bedfordshire),
  Nottingham, Southampton, Guildford (Surrey),
  Brighton (Sussex), Middlesbrough (Teeside),
  Bristol (West of England), Liverpool (John
  Moores), Sheffield (Hallam)
• Scotland
• Edinburgh (Queen Margaret), Stirling
• Wales
• Glamorgan, Cardiff (UWIC)
• Ireland
• NUI Galway http//www.nuigalway.ie/psychology/1mhp
  1_0809.html
• University of Ulster from Sept 2010 (distance
  learning)

8
Doctoral Courses leading to Stage 2

• England
• London (City),
• Stoke (Staffordshire), Southampton, Bristol (West
  of England), Guildford (Surrey)
• Scotland
• Edinburgh (Queen Margaret)
• Ireland
• University of Ulster from Sept 2010 (distance
  learning)

9
Summary
Undergraduate Psychology Qualification (GBR)
Accredited MSc Health Psychology (Stage 1)
Supervised experience (Stage 2)
Accredited Doctoral Programme (Stage 2)
Chartered / Registered Health Psychologist
10
Working as a Health Psychologist

• Often employed by academic institutions
• Work in clinical practice, eg. promoting
  self-care behaviours among people with diabetes,
  promoting dietary behaviour among people in
  cardiac rehabilitation
• May also work in other areas including Health
  Services Executive research posts and voluntary
  agencies (e.g. Aids Help West).

11
Survey of Employment and Further Training History
of the Graduates of the MSc (Health Psychology)
Programme, NUI Galway
12
Further Information

• The Psychologist Health Psychology Update (BPS)
• http//www.bps.org.uk/dhp/dhp_home.cfm
• Irish Psychologist Division of Health
  Psychology Newsletter (PSI)
• http//www.psihq.org/members_div_health.asp