This comprehensive yet practical handbook consolidates information needed by health psychologists working alongside other healthcare professionals. It facilitates the progression of the learner from the classroom to the clinical setting by focusing on the translation of science to practice using practical examples. The Handbook is divided into four major parts. Part I highlights practical issues faced by health psychologists in a medical setting (how to motivate patients, consultation-liaison, assessment and screening, brief psychotherapies, ethical issues, etc.) Part II concentrates on treating unhealthy behaviors (alcohol and nicotine use, noncompliance, overeating/obesity, physical inactivity, stress). Part III considers behavioral aspects of medical problems (pain management, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, sexual dysfunction, HIV/AIDS, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia). And Part IV takes up special issues relevant to practice and research in the field (minority issues, women’s issues, working with geriatric populations, public health approaches to health psychology and behavioral medicine). The Handbook will prove to be an invaluable resource for those already working in the field of health psychology as well as for those in training.

Behaviors That Compromise Overall Health Status
Behaviors that compromise overall health status

Introduction to Part II

The next seven chapters switch focus from practical issues that clinical health psychologists face in the workplace to patient behaviors that may impair their overall health status. More than 25 years of research, clinical practice, and community-based interventions have shown that positive behavioral changes help people to feel better physically and emotionally, improve their health status, increase their self-care skills, and improve their ability to live with chronic illness. Behavioral medicine interventions have been shown to reduce health-compromising behaviors and improve clinical outcomes in patients with a variety of medical problems. This part of the handbook targets specific health-compromising behaviors, such as alcohol and nicotine use, as well as more general ...

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