The Health Of Psychology
The Age
Saturday May 3, 2008
THERE'S a new buzz-phrase in psychology - health psychology - and Victoria is at its forefront.
Health psychologists, who are trained in behaviour modification, are in demand in many areas.They promote healthy strategies designed to overcome problems including quitting smoking, alcohol reduction, diet and lack of exercise. They apply psychology skills to illness assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. Some help manage pain or eating disorders, others work in cancer units, diabetes treatment teams, community health services, drug and alcohol clinics and hospitals or in organisations such as the Cancer Council, National Heart Foundation and the Heart Research Centre.Helen Lindner, strategic projects and liaison manager at the Australian Psychological Society, says one area of health psychology centres on self-management strategies for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease. "There is a need for a health-behaviour psychologist to be part of any primary health-care team," she says.Dr Lindner, a health psychologist and former lecturer at La Trobe University's school of psychological science, says the specialty has grown rapidly in recent years.While federal and state governments, community and commercial organisations and practitioners are incorporating health psychology, it is only now arriving in rural areas, she says. Health psychology as a specialisation began in Australia in the early 1980s, with the first postgraduate training programs established in 1998 at La Trobe University. In Victoria there are accredited postgraduate programs at Ballarat, Deakin, La Trobe, Monash, Swinburne and Melbourne universities. Endorsement to practise is managed by the APS College of Health Psychologists.Training takes six years: three years of undergraduate psychology major in an accredited degree, an accredited fourth year and two years of a master's in health or by demonstrating work experience. An entry-level salary is about $50,000.Jobs for health psychologists, says Dr Lindner, are generally found through newspaper advertisements or by seeking private clients through the society's referral service for members. Graduates may deal with emotions such as depression, anxiety, guilt and anger that are affecting health, help in pain management in a cancer ward, promote lifestyle changes in a cardiac unit or be involved in psychological assessment and intervention for maternity patients. In private or general practice health psychologists could take on cases of chronic fatigue syndrome, or accident or sports injury rehabilitation. Dr Lindner believes many people need help from a behavioural specialist to make lifestyle changes. "Without that help they will have short-term attempts at change, experience failure after failure, and eventually give up," she says.A good example of health psychology in action is a study of type 2 diabetes in adults in the Ballarat region by the University of Ballarat with the help of the Australian Psychological Society.The university is seeking 200 volunteers with type 2 diabetes to gauge whether coaching over the phone can change unhealthy behaviour and prevent or reduce depression.Mirella Di Benedetto, a lecturer and health psychologist at the University of Ballarat's school of behavioural and social sciences and humanities group, says the study has been specifically designed with rural and regional people in mind as they have higher incidences of depression, chronic illness and unhealthy behaviour than their urban counterparts.Participants will take part in four face-to-face assessments spread over 12 months and will be asked to nominate a health behaviour they wish to change. Dr Di Benedetto says the study could have important implications for cost-effective management of type 2 diabetes associated with lifestyle.For information about the Ballarat University study, call 5327 9744. The Australian Psychological Society can be contacted on 8662 3300 or go to www.psychology.org.au.-- TREVOR ROBBINS
© 2008 The Age