As our understanding of what constitutes ‘good health’ grows, so does our need to understand the psychological aspects of medicine and health, as well as the psychological interventions available in healthcare. This new edition of this bestselling textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the research, theory, application and current practices in the field, covering topics from epigenetics to social determinants of health and transdiagnostic approaches to mental health and everything in between. An essential read for all medicine and healthcare students, this text is now accompanied by a suite of online resources for all your learning needs.

"As the fundamental importance of psychological aspects of medical practice becomes ever more evident, and a correspondingly greater knowledge of psychology is required of medical graduates, books like this one must become essential reading for all medical students." - Michael Sharpe MD, FRCP FRCPsych, Professor of Psychological Medicine, University of Edinburgh "It′s a great textbook, the application to Medicine is nicely outlined and the case studies illustrating the points further are brilliant. It′s easy to read and follow and really highlights the importance of Psychology in Medicine. I will definitely be recommending this text to my students!" - Dr Harbinder Sandhu, Health Psychology Institute of Clinical Education, University of Warwick This first-of-its-kind, comprehensive textbook covers all the psychology an undergraduate medical student needs to know. The authors show the importance of applied psychological theory and evidence to medicine, and offer enough depth on the subject to span an entire degree. Split into four sections, the book is a unique mix of psychological theory and evidence with implications for clinical practice, clinical tips and case studies. Psychology and Health: covers core topics such as stress, symptom perception, health behaviour and chronic illness. Basic Foundations of Psychology: explores areas of biological, developmental, cognitive and social psychology relevant to medicine. Body Systems: psychological research specific to body systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, immunology and reproduction. Health-Care Practice covers clinical skills and practice, including chapters on evidence-based medicine, communication skills and psychological intervention. With a full colour text design, each chapter follows the same accessible format which includes summaries, learning objectives, case studies, research examples, applications to clinical practice, further reading and short answer questions. They include the latest psychological theory and research evidence.

Decision Making in Health Care, first published in 2000, is a comprehensive overview of the field of medical decision making.

What psychological and environmental forces have an impact on health? How does behavior contribute to wellness or illness? This comprehensive volume answers these questions and others with a state-of-the-art overview of theory, research, and practice at the interface of psychology and health. Leading experts from multiple disciplines explore how health and health behaviors are shaped by a wide range of psychological processes and social-environmental factors. The book describes exemplary applications in the prevention and clinical management of today's most pressing health risks and diseases, including coronary heart disease, depression, diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, sleep disturbances, and smoking. Featuring succinct, accessible chapters on critical concepts and contemporary issues, the Handbook integrates psychological perspectives with cutting-edge work in preventive medicine, epidemiology, public health, genetics, nursing, and the social sciences.

Health psychology is a rapidly expanding discipline at the interface of psychology and clinical medicine. This text offers a comprehensive, accessible, one-stop resource for clinical psychologists, mental health professionals and specialists in health-related matters.

Medical Psychology: Contributions to Behavioral Medicine discusses the relationship between medical psychology and behavioral medicine and includes critical reviews of the status of diagnostic, treatment, and preventive approaches to a wide variety of medical disorders such as hypertension, cancer, and chronic pain. A quantitative and qualitative approach to neuropsychological evaluation is also presented. Comprised of 26 chapters, this book begins by tracing the history of the relationship between psychology and medicine and assessing the status of psychology's role in the medical center. The second and third sections deal with approaches to the assessment, treatment, and prevention of various medical disorders including hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The third section also examines several special problems within the provinces of medical psychology and behavioral medicine. The fourth section presents reviews of clinical and research topics of particular interest to all medical psychologists and behavioral medicine specialists, including adherence to health care regimens and professional services evaluation in a medical setting. This monograph will be of value to research investigators and practitioners within the behavioral sciences and medicine.

This book begins by introducing us to patients in two general-practice waiting rooms. In an Australian general practice seven patients are waiting to see doctors. In a New Zealand general-practice waiting room are two patients. The healthcare needs of each patient are outlined. Of these patients and their circumstances, the editors and specialist chapter-authors ask a series of questions. What is life like for each? How might social role, economic status, and quality of social support impact on their lived experience of illness and injury? To what extent might psychosocial variables impact on the biomedical outcome of each? How might biomedical problems impact on psychosocial variables? What might be the emotional experience of each, their perception of stress, likely resilience, and potential for achieving quality of life despite their current medical circumstances? What factors might change their emotional experience? What will influence their psychological coping? What might be the cultural and spiritual resources or needs of each? How might health practitioners and the health system more generally respond to their biopsychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs? To what extent, and how, could presenting problems have been prevented? How can positive attitudes to health and living be promoted? To encourage health professionals to view a patient in his or her broad context, as a person, and as a person in a family, a cultural group, and in a society, with advantages to patient and clinician, Jennifer Fitzgerald and Gerard J Byrne have brought together experts in medicine, psychology, social work, pastoral theology, and social science. Following a section in which the conceptual foundations of a biopsychosocial approach to healthcare are outlined, chapters on individual differences and developmental processes, relationships, the social determinants of health, existential and ethical issues, and prevention and promotion are offered. In each chapter, to illustrate and personalise key points, authors refer to the patients in the waiting rooms.