Psychological Assessment

Psychological Assessment

Various psychosocial variables are associated with health. They include depression and stress (Turner-Musa et al., 2020). In my life, a myriad of social variables influence health. The first variable is education. I have a strong educational background, especially in matters related to health. This enables me to uphold promotive and preventive health by avoiding practices that predispose me to ill health. For example, I engage in physical and aerobic exercises and eat a balanced diet to avert lifestyle diseases. The other variable is my physical environment. I have access to proper housing, clean water, and a pollution-free environment. This has significantly minimized the likelihood of contracting diseases (Palmer et al., 2019).

Situational factors are external variables that have an impact on an individual’s health. An example is a parental divorce. This can harm the mental health of children and even the separated parents (HSR Psychology, n.d.). Parental divorce increases the risk of depression and anxiety among children (HSR Psychology, n.d.). Accordingly, children are most likely to engage in risky health behaviors such as alcohol and substance use (HSR Psychology, n.d.). The other situational factor is the loss of loved ones or ill family members. This has a significant impact on the mental health of a person. The person is most likely to be depressed and disoriented (HSR Psychology, n.d.).

Social and cultural variables have a significant on health. Social factors that influence health include education levels, socioeconomic status, environment, and healthcare access (Palmer et al., 2019). Higher and quality educational access is associated with practices that promote good health (Turner-Musa et al., 2020). A higher economic status increases the chances of accessing healthcare, hence better outcomes (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). Neighborhoods and environments with proper housing and clean, safe water lower the risk of diseases (Healthy People 2030, n.d.).

According to Olson et al. (2021), Cultural variables include factors such as health beliefs, religion, and beliefs about medication. What is considered an illness by one community may not be regarded as such by a different community. For example, a community whose population comprises laborers may consider backache a common phenomenon (Olson et al., 2021). Religious beliefs may prohibit certain foods or medications hence impeding the recovery of patients (Olson et al., 2021). Studies demonstrate that Caucasians trust prescription medications, unlike African Americans (Olson et al., 2021). Accordingly, Caucasians are more likely to adhere to prescription instructions, hence better treatment outcomes (Olson et al., 2021). In conclusion, social, situational, and cultural variables are key determinants of health.

References

Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health

HSR Psychology. (n.d.). Situational Factors. https://www.hsrpsychology.co.uk/conditions/situational-factors/

Olson, R. E., Mutch, A., Fitzgerald, L., & Hickey, S. (2021). The Social and Cultural Determinants of Health. In Culture, Diversity, and Health in Australia (pp. 15-35). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003138556-3/social-cultural-determinants-health-rebecca-olson-allyson-mutch-lisa-fitzgerald-sophie-hickey

Palmer, R. C., Ismond, D., Rodriquez, E. J., & Kaufman, J. S. (2019). Social Determinants of Health: Future Directions for Health Disparities Research. American Journal of Public Health, 109(S1), S70–S71. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.304964

Turner-Musa, J., Ajayi, O., & Kemp, L. (2020). Examining social determinants of health. Health Care, 8(168), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8020168

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To prepare for this discussion, please read Chapter 13: Social Psychology, Stress, and Health of your textbook and read Stress, Health, and Illness: Four Challenges For the Future and the Life Stress (Links to an external site.) and the Life Stress and Health: A Review of Conceptual Issues and Recent Findings (Links to an external site.) articles. Also, watch the Achieving a State of Optimal Health: Stress and the Health Realization Model—American Academy of Pediatrics: Reaching Teens (Links to an external site.)video.

Psychological Assessment

In this discussion, you will consider social psychological variables that affect health. Note that you must utilize at least one relevant scholarly source in addition to your textbook for this discussion.

Interpret the relevance of one or more social variables that influence health (e.g., social support, hope, choice, etc.) in your own life.
Also, in your discussion,

Examine situational factors that play a role on health.
Discuss social and cultural variables that may influence health.
Appraise relevant theory and research to support your analysis.
To fully demonstrate content knowledge and critical thinking,

Interpret course concepts explicitly, applying them to your personal experiences/observations, and cite the required readings as appropriate.
Be thorough and specific, structuring your work intentionally (with an introductory and concluding sentence or two), providing clear context, and concisely and precisely explaining relevant course concepts.
Use personal examples to illustrate as appropriate, but do be sure to provide an objective analysis too, referencing required materials and using additional sources as needed to support your insight.
Use your own Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) and apply in-text citations appropriately throughout your post.
Review APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.) for more information.
Your original post should be a minimum of 300 words.