Last modified: 25 Sep 2019 09:58
This course aims to explore the psychological side of illness and disability and learn how Health outcomes (e.g. quality of life, death, disease) depend to a large extent on people’s beliefs, perceptions, decisions and actions. Over the course, students will learn how these factors can change how symptoms are interpreted and reported, how risk is perceived, how illness and disability are experienced, whether help is sought from medical professionals, and whether recommended treatments are adhered to over time. Students will also study contemporary models of disability and explore how disability behaviour influences health outcomes.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
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| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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At the end of the course students will be able to:
• Assess how beliefs influence illness and disability
• Use theoretical models to understand how individuals cope with long term health conditions and terminal illness.
• Identify the key factors influencing health related quality of life, and debate their changing relevance over the lifespan
• Design strategies to monitor and modify adherence in illness and disability
• Evaluate measures of quality of life, impairment, activity limitations and social participation in order to select the most appropriate instrument in a range of contexts
• Develop and justify recommendations for the management of illness and disability related factors (e.g. pain, pre-hospitalisation anxiety) based on psychological evidence /theory
• Interpret and code patient descriptions of symptoms and illness beliefs using psychological theory.
Topics covered by the course include:
• Illness and symptom perceptions
• Health related quality of life
• Risk perception
• Self efficacy, control beliefs and individual attributions.
• Patient decision making
• Hospitalisation and preparation for medical procedures
• Coping with long term health conditions and disability
• Theories of pain and pain management
• Adherence and compliance
• The role of family in health and illness
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 60 | |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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