HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). AIDS, the final stage of the infection process, is characterized by severe immunodeficiency. During this stage, an infected person’s immune system loses its ability to fight off “opportunistic” infections (e.g., pneumonia) that can lead to death. HIV/AIDS Epidemiology In the United States
Historically, hostility is among the most widely and thoroughly investigated psychosocial risk factors for health. From the investigation of Type A behavior pattern (TABP), hostility has emerged as a multidimensional construct involving affect, behavior, and cognition. In general, anger refers to negative affect ranging from feelings of irritation and annoyance to rage and may be
The generic term managed care refers to various administrative and financial arrangements to regulate the site, cost, and utilization of health services. As health care costs began to escalate in the early 1960s, insurance companies, purchasers, and consumers became increasingly concerned, and different delivery models were developed with the intention of controlling costs and increasing
In both religious and nonreligious contexts, people have practiced a variety of forms of meditation for thousands of years. The shifting of mental focus and awareness is a common theme shared across types of meditation that otherwise differ in procedures and psychological objectives. These procedures and psychological objectives are highly influenced by cultural outlook. In
Neuropsychology Definition and Historical Background The field of neuropsychology is concerned with the relationship between the brain and behavior. “Behavior” in this definition refers not only to observable actions, but also to internal cognitive processes such as memory, attention, visual functions, decision making, and emotions. The term neuropsychology is most often applied to the study
Good nutrition is vital for growth, health, and well-being throughout the life cycle. Nutritional status both preconceptionally and during pregnancy has an impact on pregnancy an infant outcomes. Good nutrition is essential during infancy-childhood, and adolescence, when nutrient needs are high, ensure optimal growth and development. Nutritional factors are important in the prevention of 4
Optimism is typically defined by psychologists as (1) having a generally positive view of the future, (2) attributing negative life events to factors unlikely to cause problems again, or (3) estimating one’s personal chances of experiencing specific negative outcomes to be low (and positive outcomes high). Traits related to optimism include hardiness (the tendency to
Disclosure is the act of revealing thoughts and emotions, often through language. Disclosure typically occurs in a social setting, with one or more individuals sharing thoughts and feelings with others. Such social sharing is neither recent nor rare; since the development of language, people have shared their stories with one another, across time, many cultures
Epidemiology is the study of disease patterns in the population and the risk factors that influence those patterns. Epidemiologists are concerned with the who, when, and where of disease occurrences. That is, epidemiologists investigate (1) whether persons who have a disease are different from persons who do not get the disease based on traits or
Racial and ethnic differences in health care outcomes have become a recent target of scientific exploration. The term “race” has historically been used to distinguish major groups of people based their ancestry and physical characteristics. Today, race is most often used to distinguish a population based on biological factors such as genetics and common descent.