Did you know that some of the major causes of ill health and premature death are the result of our health-related behaviour and attitude? Increasingly, psychology-based public health interventions are being used to address diet, physical activity, smoking, sexual practices, alcohol or drug use, and more.
As public authorities around the world recognise that substantial shifts in population health can only be achieved by changes in lifestyle and behaviour, demand will continue to grow for public health professionals who specialise in mental health. In this blog, we take a closer look at public health psychology and how it is being used to treat the health of nations and populations.
What is health psychology?
Psychology focuses on thoughts, emotions and behaviour and their interaction and the goal of health psychology is to study the psychological processes underlying health, illness and healthcare. Health psychologists then apply these findings to the promotion and maintenance of health, the analysis and improvement of the health care system and health policy formation, the prevention of illness and disability, and the enhancement of outcomes for those who are ill or disabled (British Psychological Society).
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Area |
Examples (across the lifespan) |
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Health |
Helping people lose weight and maintain weight loss, stop smoking, take more exercise, attend cervical screening, wear sunscreen, see a dentist. |
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Illness |
Supporting people to better manage chronic conditions, interpret symptoms, adhere to medication, manage pain, attend follow up. |
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Healthcare |
Helping health professionals to adhere to clinical guidelines, develop skills to change patient behaviour, engage in hand hygiene. |
Developed by the Division of Health Psychology Scotland.
What is public health psychology?
The decisions that patients, the public, and healthcare professionals make about health, treatment, health promotion and illness prevention can affect public health in complex ways. Public health psychology – essentially health psychology in public health settings – involves population level health interventions as opposed to just dealing with one person’s problems.
It can be concerned with global or national populations or be targeted at vulnerable or at-risk populations, such as veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), smokers or people who misuse drugs. And it can be focused on specific behavioural issues, for example, childhood obesity or teen pregnancy.
How is psychology being used to support and improve public health?
The expertise of public health psychologists is needed to help public authorities understand behaviour-related health issues, then design, develop, deliver and evaluate appropriate interventions. This research can be carried out for charities and nonprofit organisations, universities, thinktanks, governments and non-governmental bodies.
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Area |
Activity |
Examples |
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Research and analysis |
Conducting and interpreting research to better understand the psychological triggers and responses that contribute to public health issues. |
Writing and presenting research reports to target public health issues like work-related stress, substance addition, or chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. |
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Strategy and action |
Using psychological insight to design and implement interventions to support and/or change health behaviours. |
Making recommendations about legislation or the design of communications campaigns and messaging to promote physical activity or healthy eating, or advising health providers about how to tailor advice and support to give up smoking or prevent suicide. |
Public health psychology in practice: COVID-19 as a case study
Research and analysis
During the COVID-19 pandemic, US psychologists conducted large-scale multinational studies to evaluate levels of compliance with COVID-related health measures and the effectiveness of vaccination messaging. Their findings suggested that campaigns should encourage positive rather than negative emotions; hope and altruism as opposed to fear and anxiety.
Strategy and action
As well as conducting research, psychologists focused on public health play a key role translating their insight into actionable health strategies. It was health psychologists who developed written guidance for Public Health England and NHS England to support the wellbeing of healthcare and care home workforce communities.
Isolation and other policies had a profound impact on frontline staff facing hugely traumatic situations day-to-day. Key recommendations included visible leadership, a clear communication strategy, consistent access to physical safety needs, access to pre-existing methods of peer support, and formal psychological care in stepped ways.
Want to learn more about health psychology?
Informed by our world-leading research, the King's online MSc in Public Health provides a comprehensive study of public health policy and practice, including the many interventions available. Through a choice of four optional specialist modules, you can tailor your master’s degree to match your interests or career aspirations.
By choosing the optional module in Mental Health and Public Health, for instance, you can graduate with an MSc in Public Health (Mental Health). On this module, you will examine evidence-based interventions to prevent and improve mental health and wellbeing for all. The optional Health Psychology for Public Health module expands your knowledge of key theories, concepts and case studies relating to health psychology and behaviour change.
Do you want to make a positive difference to the health of individuals and communities around the world? Studying the MSc in Public Health gives you the knowledge and skills to lead future public health initiatives:
