Health Psychology: A Cultural Approach

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With a conversational style that conveys the excitement, research base, and real-world applications of the field, Regan A. R. Gurung introduces students to health psychology with an integrated cultural perspective. Starting with a description of the biological, psychological, and sociological factors that determine who we are, the text examines cultural differences in major health behaviors and health, achieving the commendable goal of being comprehensive yet extremely accessible. Gurung focuses on key determinants of behavior, such as family, ethnicity, and religion, which are not always highlighted in health psychology books. Packed with the most up-to-date citations available, this book combines issues "ripped from the headlines" with the classic issues of the field. A range of vivid examples from different cultural groups provides students with a comprehensive description of the basic theories in health psychology as well as an overview of cutting-edge research in the field. Special sections highlighting clinical applications of basic theories, strong doses of personality and social psychological theories, and chapters exclusively devoted to variations in cultural beliefs, human development, and different diseases, combine to give readers the best of many worlds. Key Feature By highlighting real-world cases, the "Focus on Clinical Applications" boxes bring theories alive for students and enable them to relate the content to their lives. Numerous tables, graphics, and photos make the book engaging and its two-color format makes this research-based text affordable for students. Gurung uses actual research instruments, such as measures of stress and coping, and a variety of health checks. Pedagogically sound critical-thinking questions ask students to "SEA"—Synthesize, Evaluate, and Apply—the material. Essential References sections for each chapter present the most pertinent articles on the given topic. The four to five citations provided represent classic and contemporary sources that best support each chapter. New to this Edition A new Chapter 3 describes essential physiological systems and processes that will aid students' understanding of the different topics discussed later in the book. Each chapter ends with a concise summary to help review the major points plus a list of the key terms, people, and concepts. In addition, each chapter ends with ten multiple choice questions to further help students test themselves. To ensure they truly get a good sense of what they know, the answers are at the back of the book. In the new edition, the suggested web resources are also annotated to give students more incentive to do research on their own. Over 1,000 new research articles cited so that students read the most up-to-date information. Additionally, discussions are backed up with as many relevant citations as possible to provide students a robust scientific introduction to the field. Expanded coverage in many areas such as death and dying, diabetes, asthma, gender, environmental stress, war, disasters, sexual activity and more personality types to engage students and bring concepts to a personal level. Table of Contents Preface. 1. Health Psychology: Setting the Stage. 2. Cultural Approaches to Health. 3. Essential Physiology. 4. Stress across Cultures. 5. Coping and Social Support. 6. Models of Behavior Change. 7. Health Behaviors: Eating, Physical Activity, Smoking, and Drinking. 8. Factors Surrounding Illness. 9. Pain. 10. Chronic Illness, Terminal Illness, and Death. 11. Psychoneuroimmunology and HIV. 12. Culture and Cancer. 13. Culture and Cardiovascular Disease. 14. The Future of Health Psychology.