PSY 320: Health Psychology
Fall 2011
M/W 3:00-4:20, N021 BCC (Business College Complex)
Instructor: Jennifer Mortensen, M.A.
Email: morten19@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-3825
Office: 202B Psychology Building
Office Hours: 231 Psychology Building,
1:00-2:00 Monday, 10:30-11:30 Wednesdays (and by appointment)
Course Overview
Health Psychology will explore the social, psychological, and biological factors that affect
health. This course will take an ecological perspective to explore various determinants of
health, review research methods, take an in depth look at many health issues, and consider
future directions and implications for health research. We will cover topics such as risky
health behaviors, stress and coping, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and the health care system. In this
course, you will have the opportunity to apply what we discuss through various in and out
of class activities.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you will:
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Be able to describe the various determinants of an individuals’ health
Understand different models of well-being
Apply the Social Ecological Model of Health to various health issues
Understand a range of research methods and when they are appropriate to use
Be able to apply different theories of health behavior change to a given health issue
Understand theories of stress and coping strategies
Understand a number of illnesses including HIV/AIDS, Cardiovascular disease, and
Cancer
Be able to discuss the role of the Health Psychologist in a variety of settings
Identify current literature about a selected health topic and integrate it into a paper
Class Format
This class will include lectures, discussions, videos, in-class activities, and exams. I will
upload outlines of my lecture notes to Angel, but you will need to attend class to get the
information from the lectures to fill in the notes. Most class sessions will include either a
discussion, in-class activity, video, or example not found in the assigned reading. All of this
material is fair game on the exams. Students are expected to read the assigned text
chapters and journal articles before coming to class in order to fully participate in
discussions and ask clarifying questions. This class will provide you an active learning
environment, and you are expected to attend class each day and participate in class
activities.
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Required Course Readings
Textbook
Ragin, D.F. (2010). Health Psychology: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Health. Upper
Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Journal Articles
Callahan, D. (2008). Curbing medical costs: The ‘unpopular’ problem. America, 198, 9.
Davison, K.K., & Birch, L.L. (2001). Childhood overweight: A contextual model and
recommendations for future research. Obesity Reviews, 2(3), 159-171.
Diallo, D.D., Moore, T.W., Ngalame, P.M., White, L.D., Herbst, J.H., & Painter, T.M. (2010).
Efficacy of a single-session HIV prevention intervention for Black women: A group
randomized controlled trial. AIDS Behavior, 14, 518-529.
Garcia, A. (2006). Is health promotion relevant across cultures and the socioeconomic
spectrum? Family Community Health, 29 (1S), 20S-27S.
Jason, L.A., Torres-Harding, S.R., & Njoku, M.G.C., (2005). The face of CFS in the U.S. CFIDS
Chronicle, 16-21.
Jason, L.A., Olson, B.D., Ferrari, J.R., & Lo Sasso, A.T. (2006). Communal housing settings
enhance substance abuse recovery. American Journal of Public Health, 96, 17271729.
Koh, H.K., & Sebelius, K.G. (2010). Promoting prevention through the Affordable Care Act.
The New England Journal of Medicine, 363(14), 1296-1299.
Rapkin, B.D., Massie, M.J., Jansky, E.J., Lounsbury, D.W., Murphy, P.D., & Powell, S. (2006).
Developing a partnership model for cancer screening with community-based
organizations: The ACCESS breast cancer education and outreach project. American
Journal of Community Psychology, 38, 153-164.
Rasmussen, A., Aber, M.S., & Bhana, A. (2004). Adolescent coping and neighborhood
violence: Perceptions, exposure, and urban youths’ efforts to deal with danger.
American Journal of Community Psychology, 33, 61-75.
Stokols, D. (1996). Translating Social Ecological Theory into guidelines for community
health promotion. American Journal of Health Promotion, 10(4), 282-298.
Taylor, S.E. (2009). The systems of the body. Health Psychology (pp. 17-42). New York:
McGraw Hill.
Wallerstein, N.B., & Duran, B. (2006). Using community-based participatory research to
address health disparities. Health Promotion Practice, 7, 312-323.
A copy of the textbook is available on reserve at the library.
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Journal articles are available on Angel.
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Course Management
I will be using Angel (https://angel.msu.edu) in this course to post outlines of lecture notes,
required readings, assignments, study guides, etc. Please be sure your email address is up
to date on Angel. You can contact the Angel helpdesk at (517) 355-2345 if you are having
trouble accessing something on the site.
Assignments
Health Intervention Paper
For this class, you will create a health intervention to address a selected issue that we
discussed in class. The intervention can be about a specific illness, the health care
system/services (i.e. access to care, health insurance), health disparities, etc. To prepare
for this assignment, you will need to find two articles from a peer-reviewed journal to read
about your topic. These articles should describe current health interventions about your
selected topic. These sources can help you to get a better understanding of your topic,
identify shortcomings of current health interventions, and learn about effective
intervention strategies. For this paper, you will need to compare and contrast the two
existing interventions, and then explain why yours is an improvement. Your paper should
be 4-6 pages in length and should incorporate the two articles you selected. Further
instructions, including a rubric are available on Angel.
The paper will be collected at the beginning of class on Monday, December 5. The
paper is worth 30 points. No late assignments will be accepted.
Exams
There will be FOUR exams in this course, of which THREE will count toward your final
grade. The exams will be on the following days: October 5, October 26, November 16, and
December 12. You will be able to drop the lowest exam score, or choose to only take three
of the exams. These exams will cover assigned readings, lectures, discussions, and in and
out of class activities through multiple choice and short answer questions. All exams are
closed book. On exam days, I will ask you to put all of your belongings around the
perimeter of the room (bags, laptops, phones). Only pencils will be allowed on your desk.
There are no make up exams in this course. If you miss an exam, you will receive a 0
for that exam.
It is important to arrive ON TIME for exams. Once the first person turns in their exam and
leaves the room, no more exams will be handed out.
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In-class Assignments
There will be TEN unannounced in-class assignments throughout the semester that are
designed to help you understand and apply the information you are learning. These can
range from a short reflection paper, to a group activity, to a discussion and will be based on
the current material we are covering. These assignments can only be completed in class
and will be collected at the end of class. Each assignment is worth up to two points.
Students will receive 2 points if there is evidence of satisfactory application of the course
material to the assignment, 1 point if there is some attempt to apply the course material to
the assignment, and 0 points if the assignment is not turned in at all.
If you miss an in-class assignment, you may find an article related to Health Psychology
from a newspaper, magazine, or online source. You must turn in a copy of the article
(include the source from which you found it) as well as a short reflection paper (half page
typed) about how the article relates to something we studied in class (i.e. a specific theory,
model of health behavior change, illness, policy, etc.). These make-up articles will be due
by Wednesday, December 7, 2011. No late make-up assignments will be accepted.
This is not an opportunity for extra credit, you can only turn in ONE article, and may
only receive 20 total points for in-class assignments.
Out of Class Assignments
There will be TWO out of class assignments that you will work on instead of attending
class.
On Wednesday, September 14, we will not meet for class. Instead, you will work on
completing a Community Health Assessment of the East Lansing area. For this assignment,
you will select a health issue (i.e. obesity, drinking, smoking, sexually transmitted
infections, cancer, etc.) and apply the Social Ecological Model of Health to it. This is a
chance for you to think critically about the various factors that influence an individual’s
health in your own community. This assignment will be due Monday, September 19 at
the beginning of class. Specific instructions about the assignment are posted on
Angel. No late assignments will be accepted.
On Wednesday, November 23, we will also not be having class. I know many people who
celebrate Thanksgiving travel on this day, and therefore miss class. You will be assigned an
online activity to complete. For this activity, you will watch a video and respond to a short
reflection activity. This assignment will be due Monday, November 28 at the
beginning of class. Specific instructions about the assignment are posted on Angel.
No late assignments will be accepted.
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Grading
The grade you earn in this course will be determined based on the total number of points
that you receive. There is no extra credit in this course.
Assignment/Exam
Paper
Intervention
Paper
Exams
Exam
Exam
Exam
In-class Assignments
10 assignments
Out of Class
Assignments
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Dates
Points
Percent of Grade
Due: 12/5/2011
30 points
15%
40 points
40 points
40 points
20%
20%
20%
Unannounced
20 points (2
each)
10%
Due: 9/19/2011
Due: 11/28/2011
TOTAL
20 points
10 points
200 points
10%
5%
100%
Grading Scale
4.0
90% of 200 points
3.5
85% of 200 points
3,0
80% of 200 points
2.5
75% of 200 points
2.0
70% of 200 points
1.5
65% of 200 points
1.0
60% of 200 points
0.0
less than 60% of 200 points
180 points and above
170 points to 179 points
160 points to 169 points
150 points to 159 points
140 points to 149 points
130 points to 139 points
120 points to 129 points
less than 120 points
Course Policies
Respect
I strive to create a safe, respectful classroom environment in which students are free to
express their ideas and are able to learn. Students are encouraged to ask questions and
share their opinions, and other students should not make disrespectful, embarrassing, or
rude comments in response. Respect for other students and myself also includes paying
attention during class (i.e. no texting, talking, reading the newspaper, surfing the internet,
studying for another class, etc.). Please turn off cell phones at the beginning of class. If you
need to take an emergency phone call, please quietly step out of the room. Respect is
expected in all forms of communication (in person, email, telephone, etc.) between
students and the instructor. The University is a community of scholars, and respect and
civility are expected at all times.
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Punctuality
I expect you to arrive on time for class and be prepared to engage through the entire class
session. It is important to turn assignments in on time and take exams when scheduled to
avoid falling behind in the course work. I will end class on time, so please do not pack up
early. This is distracting to other students and me. Important announcements and
instructions will often be given at the end of class, and packing up or leaving early may
cause you to miss crucial information.
Course Communication
Email is the best way to get in contact with me. I will try to answer all emails within 24
hours of receiving them, but an immediate response is not guaranteed. I may not respond
to emails sent after 5:00 pm or on the weekend until the next workday. Please be as
respectful in email communications as you would be in person.
Academic Honesty
Article 2.III.B.2 of the Academic Freedom Report states: “The student shares with the
faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and
professional standards.” In addition, the Department of Psychology adheres to the policies
on academic honesty specified in General Student Regulation 1.0, Protection of Scholarship
and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance
17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the
MSU Web site www.msu.edu.) Therefore, unless authorized by your instructor, you are
expected to complete all course assignments, including homework, lab work, quizzes, tests
and exams, without assistance from any source. You are expected to develop original work
for this course; therefore, you may not submit course work you completed for another
course to satisfy the requirements for this course. Also, you are not authorized to use the
www.allmsu.com website to complete any course work in this course. Students who violate
MSU regulations on Protection of Scholarship and Grades may receive a penalty grade,
including, but not limited to, a failing grade on the assignment or in the course.
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How to be Successful in this Class
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Attend class. This course includes a number of in-class activities, videos, and
discussions that will help enrich your learning experience by complementing the
assigned readings. This information will also be covered on the exams.
Ask questions. If you are unsure about any of the course content, please feel free to
ask questions. If you are unsure about something, it’s likely others are as well. I
encourage you to ask questions during lectures about the assigned readings or
lecture content. If you feel uncomfortable asking a question in class, please feel free
to come to office hours or to contact me via email.
Complete readings and assignments. I assign readings and assignments that I feel
are meaningful and will help you to learn about Health Psychology. Assigned
readings are not optional, and students are expected to know the material.
Come to office hours. If you are having trouble in the class or would like to talk
further about something discussed in class, please stop by my office. I’m more than
happy to help you figure out strategies for being successful or to engage in
conversations around topics you found particularly interesting, thought-provoking,
difficult to understand, etc.
Form study groups. I encourage you to study for exams with others in the class.
You are NOT to work on assignments or papers together, but you are free to study
as a group. I would recommend studying on your own before getting together with
a group. Use others in the class as a resource to help clarify confusing concepts or
ideas. Sometimes helping others answer their questions can help solidify the ideas
in your mind and help you to more fully understand the material and be prepared
for exams.
Other Important Information
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
to make reasonable accommodations. Contact the RCPD Office at 517-884-7273 or 517355-1293 (TTY).
Major Religious Holidays
Students who miss class because of observing a major religious holiday must make
arrangements with me at least one week in advance to make up the work for that day.
Learning Resource Center and Writing Center
Students are encouraged to contact the Learning Resource Center (http://lrc.msu.edu/) to
assist them in developing strategies for being successful students. Students are also
encouraged to drop in to the Writing Center (http://writing.msu.edu/) to help with course
papers and develop their writing skills.
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Course Schedule
**This schedule is tentative and subject to change**
Date
Wed. 8/31
Mon. 9/5
Wed. 9/7
Mon. 9/12
Wed. 9/14
Mon. 9/19
Wed. 9/21
Mon. 9/26
Wed. 9/28
Mon. 10/3
Wed. 10/5
Topic
Introduction to Course and Review
Syllabus
Interdisciplinary View of Health
NO CLASS—LABOR DAY
Interdisciplinary View of Health
(cont.)
Determinants of Health
Research Methods and Ethics
NO CLASS—OUT OF CLASS
ASSIGNMENT 1
Theories and Models of Health
Behavior Change
Social Marketing
Ecological Approach to Health
Risky Health Behaviors (Substance
Use and Abuse)
Risky Health Behaviors
(Unintentional Injury and Violence,
Risky Sexual Behaviors, Eating
Disorders)
Assignments and Readings (please
prepare before class)
Ragin: Chapter 1
Ragin: Chapter 2
Out of Class Assignment 1 Due
Ragin: Chapter 4 (p.101-125)
Ragin: Chapter 4 (p.126-138)
Stokols, D. (1996). Translating Social
Ecological Theory into guidelines for
community health promotion.
American Journal of Health
Promotion, 10(4), 282-298.
Ragin: Chapter 5 (p.152-168)
Jason, L.A., Olson, B.D., Ferrari, J.R., &
Lo Sasso, A.T. (2006). Communal
housing settings enhance substance
abuse recovery. American Journal of
Public Health, 96, 1727-1729.
Ragin: Chapter 5 (p.139-151, 168179)
Davison, K.K., & Birch, L.L. (2001).
Childhood overweight: A contextual
model and recommendations for
future research. Obesity Reviews,
2(3), 159-171.
EXAM 1
Physiology
Taylor, S.E. (2009). The systems of
the body. Health Psychology (pp. 1741). New York: McGraw Hill.
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Date
Mon.
10/10
Topic
Emotional Health and Models of
Well-Being
Positive Psychology, Traditional
Medicine
Wed.
10/12
Mon.
10/17
Stress and Coping (Stress, Theories
of Stress, Stress and Illness)
Stress and Coping (Coping)
Wed.
10/19
Mon.
10/24
HIV and AIDS (Definition, Immune
System, Transmission)
HIV and AIDS (Prevalence,
Prevention, Testing, Treatment)
Wed.
10/26
Mon.
10/31
Wed. 11/2
Mon. 11/7
Wed. 11/9
Assignments and Readings (please
prepare before class)
Ragin: Chapter 6
Garcia, A. (2006). Is health
promotion relevant across cultures
and the socioeconomic spectrum?
Family Community Health, 29 (1S),
20S-27S.
Ragin: Chapter 7 (p.216-239)
Ragin: Chapter 7 (p.239-250)
Rasmussen, A., Aber, M.S., & Bhana,
A. (2004). Adolescent coping and
neighborhood violence: Perceptions,
exposure, and urban youths’ efforts
to deal with danger. American
Journal of Community Psychology, 33,
61-75.
Ragin: Chapter 8 (p.251-266)
Ragin: Chapter 8 (p.266-289)
Diallo, D.D., Moore, T.W., Ngalame,
P.M., White, L.D., Herbst, J.H., &
Painter, T.M. (2010). Efficacy of a
single-session HIV prevention
intervention for Black women: A
group randomized controlled trial.
AIDS Behavior, 14, 518-529.
EXAM 2
Cardiovascular Disease
Ragin: Chapter 9 (p.290-304)
Health Determinants of
Cardiovascular Disease
Chronic Pain Management
Arthritis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Ragin: Chapter 9 (p.304-318)
Cancer (Definition, Risk Factors)
Ragin: Chapter 10
Jason, L.A., Torres-Harding, S.R., &
Njoku, M.G.C., (2005). The face of CFS
in the U.S. CFIDS Chronicle, 16-21.
Ragin: Chapter 11 (p.352-374)
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Date
Mon.
11/14
Topic
Cancer (Prevention, Treatment)
Assignments and Readings (please
prepare before class)
Ragin: Chapter 11 (p.374-390)
Rapkin, B.D., Massie, M.J., Jansky, E.J.,
Lounsbury, D.W., Murphy, P.D., &
Powell, S. (2006). Developing a
partnership model for cancer
screening with community-based
organizations: The ACCESS breast
cancer education and outreach
project. American Journal of
Community Psychology, 38, 153-164.
Wed.
11/16
Mon.
11/21
Wed.
11/23
Mon.
11/28
Wed.
11/30
Mon. 12/5
Wed. 12/7
EXAM 3
Global Communicable and Chronic
Illnesses
NO CLASS—OUT OF CLASS
ASSIGNMENT
Health Care Systems, ConsumerProvider Communication
Health Policy
Health Psychologists’ Role
Future Directions for Health
Psychology
Course Wrap-up, Student
Evaluations
Ragin: Chapter 3
Out of Class Assignment 2 Due
Ragin: Chapter 12 (p.391-415)
Callahan, D. (2008). Curbing medical
costs: The ‘unpopular’ problem.
America, 198, 9.
Ragin: Chapter 12 (p.415-419)
Koh, H.K., & Sebelius, K.G. (2010).
Promoting prevention through the
Affordable Care Act. The New
England Journal of Medicine, 363(14),
1296-1299.
Health Intervention Paper Due at
Beginning of Class
Ragin: Chapter 13
Wallerstein, N.B., & Duran, B. (2006).
Using community-based
participatory research to address
health disparities. Health Promotion
Practice, 7, 312-323.
Readings: TBD
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Date
Topic
Mon.
12/12
EXAM 4 (3:00-5:00)
Assignments and Readings (please
prepare before class)
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