Measuring
illness behavior in patients with systemic sclerosis.
These health variables could be included with variables that have traditionally been called
illness behaviors (Galan et al.
However, from the clinical point of view, it seems more important to recognize whether specific manifestations of psychological suffering and
illness behavior exist in relation to otologic symptoms in order to provide specific psychological and psychopharmacologic therapy.
Health complaints appear to be strongly influenced by psychological variables, and
illness behavior is often assessed rather than illness itself.
Finally, the consequences of these various factors--societally determined level of health risk exposure, culturally determined health and
illness behavior, and the interaction between societal factors and health and
illness behavior--combine to produce observed morbidity and mortality differentials across race groups.
Part 3 focuses on psychobiology and Part 4 on the abnormal personality and
illness behavior in functional somatic syndromes.
A new study by Neil Harrison and colleagues published in Biological Psychiatry suggests that a brain reward center, the striatum, may be directly affected by inflammation and that striatal change is related to the emergence of
illness behaviors.
They discuss health promotion needs assessment, including public health, epidemiological tools, health and
illness behaviors, and promotion through the lifespan; promotion methods through one-to-one communication, with groups, and through mass and print media, electronic media and the Internet, and advocacy; community, health-facility, workplace, pediatric, and institutional settings; and implementation, management, training, organizational change, improvements in services, evaluation, and reflection.
Course is free and designed to offer support and education for families and friends of loved ones living with mental illness; course covers
illness behaviors, brain functions, crisis, recovery and care for the caregiver; three group workshops focus on problem solving, improving communication skills and empathy; call 541-343-7688 to register; space is limited.
Their
illness behaviors have been criminalized and deemed "illegal" because they live in the community, not in a medical facility.
Fibromyalgia can create a cycle of decreased activity, isolation, poor sleep, increased distress, and maladaptive
illness behaviors, and physicians need to recognize that these consequences of fibromyalgia can also exacerbate the symptoms.
