Mind/body medicine examines the relationship between the psyche (the mind) and the soma (the body). It is also known as (or closely related to) psychosomatic medicine, health psychology, behavioral medicine, and psychoneuroimmunology. Research in these fields over the past three decades has produced a wealth of information about the interactions between the neurological system, the immune system, the endocrine system, and the cardiovascular system, and their implications for a variety of disease states. In essence, the research reveals how the state of the mind, emotions, social life, and spirit can affect the state of the body. This presentation will review and summarize key findings in the field of mind/body medicine, identify useful resources, and involve the audience in an interactive discussion with the following questions in mind: What are the health education implications of mind/body research? What are the barriers to creating mind/body-focused health education interventions? The National Institutes of Health recently devoted funding to establish five mind/body research centers in the U.S. - how could health educators take advantage of future mind/body research funding opportunities? How could addressing the findings of this research change the way health educators perceive themselves? How could mind/body research benefit from a public health perspective? To what extent is public health education currently aligned with disease prevention and the "medical model", vs. health promotion and the "biopsychosocial-spiritual model"? How could the mind/body holistic perspective be incorporated into existing health education programming for topics such as sexuality education, physical activity, nutrition, smoking cessation, and more?
Learning Objectives: The participant will be able to: 1. Define mind/body medicine. 2. Describe recent research findings in mind/body medicine. 3. Evaluate the health education implications of mind/body medicine research. 4. Discuss barriers to creating mind/body-focused health education interventions. 5. Assess the degree to which public health educators align themselves with the traditional "medical model". 6. Articulate how public health could further enhance the multidisciplinary focus of mind/body research.
Keywords: Health Education, Emerging Health Issues
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.
Handout (.doc format, 69.0 kb)