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Slide 1: Professional Opportunities In Health Psychology Professional Opportunities In Health Psychology If you want to learn more, you may consider to visit: http://evolutionary-psychology.net/ The broad field of health psychology deals with promotion of health, improvement of the health care system, and different governmental approaches to the nation’s health care policies. A health psychologist also focuses on understanding how most people perceive, cope, and recover from preventable ailments. Basically, matters concerning health and illnesses are influenced by a myriad of factors which include hereditary and contagious issues as well as behavioral and psychological factors. A health psychologist brings together biological, psychological, social, and behavioral factors to determine how they influence the overall physical and mental well being of different groups of people. As a health psychologist your focus will mainly revolve around addressing common risk factors such as the following: •Effects of stress and its reduction. •Health consequences of excessive weight and its management. •Importance of good nutrition and how to promote it. •Reduction or elimination of irresponsible sexual behaviors. •Encouragement and counseling for terminally ill patients. •Efficient hospice care Health psychology specialists work in different settings such as major hospitals, clinics, universities, and even in private corporations. The settings also depend on the health psychologist’s area of specialization. Some examples of these areas include the following: •Clinical health psychology which involves other subfields such as psychotherapy and health education. •Community health psychology which focuses on prevention and intervention measures at the community level by assessing behavioral traits in a community and promoting healthy behaviors. •Public health psychology which seeks to understand health at the population level. Specialists in the various subfields of this branch of medicine also supervise and advise other health care professionals and educators working directly with the community. •Occupational health psychology which incorporates industrial organization with promotion of better health. Specialists in this subfield seek to understand how work-related issues impact on workers’ physical and mental conditions. Some of the major prerequisites to join this profession include: •A Ph. D or Psy.D degree in psychology or •An undergraduate psychology degree followed by a post graduate degree in the relevant field. •Certification by the American Board of Professional Psychology after a one year post doctorate degree internship. •There are other opportunities for holders of bachelor’s or masters degrees in community mental health or correctional facilities. However, such opportunities require the health psychologist to work under a licensed specialist. Remuneration for health psychologists largely depends on geographic location, educational background, and of course experience. Statistics by the American Psychological Association however indicate that a health psychologist working directly with human services earns around $80,000 annually while a licensed specialist earns an average salary of between $40,000 and $85,000 per year. Qualified specialists in this field address social, psychological, and behavioral factors that lead to such illnesses as strokes, heart conditions, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other infectious diseases. Recent studies show that almost 50 percent of all deaths in the US are related to behavioral risk factors which are easily preventable. This makes it quite relevant for health care workers to work closely with individuals and communities in an effort to eliminate common risk factors and promote health. If you want to learn more, you may consider to visit: http://evolutionary-psychology.net/ Page 1