Behavioral Medicine I Introduction

BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE I
Introduction

Jefferson College of Health Sciences
Roanoke, VA

Behavioral medicine is the multidisciplinary field concerned with behavioral and social aspects of medical conditions. This approach facilitates identification of the complex determinants of disease as well as effective preventive and therapeutic interventions. Changes in behavior and lifestyle can improve health, prevent illness, and reduce symptoms of illness. More than 25 years of research, clinical practice, and community-based interventions in the field of behavioral medicine has shown that behavioral changes can help people feel better physically and emotionally, improve their health status, increase their self-care skills, and improve their ability to live with chronic illness. Behavioral interventions also can improve the effectiveness of medical interventions, help reduce over-utilization of the health care system, and reduce the overall costs of care.

This course is the first in a sequence of two courses designed to foster the development and application of knowledge concerning the interrelationships of health, illness, culture and behavior for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and health promotion.

Behavioral Medicine I focuses on behavioral interventions on the intrapersonal level, while Behavioral Medicine II focuses on behavioral interventions on the interpersonal, community, organization, and population level. Topics covered in this section include determinants of disease and health behavior, health behavior theory, establishment of PA-patient partnerships and communication needed for collaborative care, chronic disease management, patient self-management, health literacy, cultural competency, patient care and the family, domestic violence, death and dying, health-related behaviors and effective behavioral management of stress, emotions (fear, depression, anxiety), chronic pain, obesity, and smoking.