It might seem obvious but behaviour change is key to improving health and recovery. This is why psychologists can play a critical role in health for individual patients and in health behaviour change in overcoming current challenges as the obesity epidemic.
Health psychology promotes positive health behaviour and reduces harmful health behaviour such as poor dietary habits, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, and physical inactivity. It aims to reduce risk factors associated with chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer.
- Health psychologists work with other health professionals and advise on attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that contribute to ill health, and how they might be changed (E.g. programs to assist people who overeat or eat a high fat diet).
- Health psychologists design public health programs in behaviour change related to exercise, alcohol, cigarettes, drug consumption, and injury and cancer prevention (E.g. SunSmart, Life. Be in it).
- Health psychologists work with community members and professionals to improve health and wellbeing by estimating the distribution of disease, identifying health behaviour and modifiable determinants.
Psychology can be an excellent foundation for roles such as
- Nursing
- Speech Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Rehabilitation Counselling
- Audiology
Health services related courses include:
- Graduate entry to undergraduate courses (E.g. nursing)
- Masters of Practice (E.g occupational therapy or speech therapy)
- Graduate diplomas (E.g rehabilitation studies or audiology)
Find out more about careers in health psychology by contacting the APS College of Health Psychologists.