With new chapters on key topics such as mental health, the environment, race, ethnicity and health, and pharmaceuticals, this new edition maintains its multidisciplinary framework and bridges the gap between health policy and the sociology of health. It builds upon the success of the first by encompassing a range of issues, studies, and disciplines. The broad coverage of topics in addition to new chapters present an engagement with contemporary issues, resulting in a valuable teaching aid. This second edition brings together a diverse range of leading international scholars with contributors from Australia, Puerto-Rico, USA, Guatemala, Germany, Sri Lanka, Botswana, UK, South Sudan, Mexico, South Korea, Canada and more. The second edition of this Handbook remains a key resource for undergraduates, post-graduates, and researchers across multidisciplinary backgrounds including: medicine, health and social care, sociology, and anthropology. PART ONE: Culture, Society and Health PART TWO: Lived Experiences PART THREE: Health Care Systems, Access and Use PART FOUR: Health in Environmental and Planetary Context

Advancements in research in psychological science have afforded great insights into how our minds work. Making an Impact on Mental Health analyses contemporary, international research to examine a number of core themes in mental health, such as mindfulness and attachment, and provides an understanding of the sources of mentally ill health and strategies for remediation. The originality of this work is the embedding of psychological science in an evolutionary approach. Each chapter discusses the context of a specific research project, looking at the methodological and practical challenges, how the results have been interpreted and communicated, the impact and legacy of the research and the lessons learnt. As a whole, the book looks at how social environments shape who we are and how we form relationships with others, which can be detrimental, but equally a source of flourishing and well-being. Covering a range of themes conducive to understanding and facilitating improved mental health, Making an Impact on Mental Health is invaluable reading for advanced students in clinical psychology and professionals in the mental health field.

The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted many areas of our lives, including mental health. Lockdown and physical distancing measures have been one major effective intervention to counter the spread of the virus and reduce the impact of the disease. However, they have negatively impacted mental well-being and behaviors, either triggering the onset of new psychiatric symptoms and diseases or amplifying pre-existing ones. The pandemic and lockdown measures have also been associated with reduced access to treatment and facilities all over the world, further worsening mental health outcomes. The impact on mental health, although universal, varied between nations. Cultural and societal variables, including norms, values, religion, and stigma have played an important role in shaping COVID-19-related mental health symptoms, including anxiety, depression, grief, psychosis, and addiction. These sociocultural factors have also molded how mental health interventions are tailored and provided. Highlighting the intertwining relationship between the pandemic, mental health, and sociocultural factors are essential to managing emerging mental health symptoms adequately.

People want to live a healthy and happy later life. A large body of literature shows the close association between health status and happiness and between health and active engagement (in work, exercise, and social and religious activities). However, the causation between the two can run both ways, and it is difficult to determine the causal effect with cross-sectional data. Various authors have shown the significant influence of socioeconomic factors and human needs on older people’s health status and happiness. A better understanding of the factors affecting healthy and happy aging is essential for policymaking to improve the well-being of older people. The availability of data from HRS-family studies in several Asian countries (CHARLS in China, LASI in India, JSTAR in Japan, KLoSA in Korea, IFLS in Indonesia, HART in Thailand, MARS in Malaysia, and Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in Viet Nam) (see Gateway to Global Aging Data) provides an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine factors affecting health and happiness among older adults within and across Asian countries. This research topic aims to gather papers that investigate the socioeconomic, attitudinal, and behavioural factors affecting the health status and happiness/life satisfaction of older adults in Asia. The dependent variables may include physical health, mental health, disability (ADL/IADL), cognitive functioning), self-rated health, health expenditure, feeling of happiness and life satisfaction. The independent variables may be age, gender, marital status, place of residence, educational level, active engagement (work, exercise, social and religious activities), family and social relationship and support, outlook in life, smoking, drinking, and access to and utilization of healthcare services, etc. Manuscripts can be based on individual countries or cross-country analysis, preferably using the panel data to establish the causal effects of the independent variables on the dependent variables.

This Research Topic explores the intricate relationship between stress, health, and well-being, with a focus on the underlying psychological and physiological processes involved. The aim is to shed light on the complex interplay between these factors and provide insights into potential interventions and strategies for promoting optimal mental and physical well-being. It encompasses both theoretical perspectives and empirical research, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and a comprehensive understanding of stress, health and well-being: - The Impact of Chronic Stress on Physical Health Examining the physiological processes through which chronic stress contributes to physical health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, immune dysregulation, and metabolic disorders. Investigating the role of stress-related behaviors (e.g., poor sleep, unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyle) in mediating the relationship between stress and physical health outcomes. Discussing potential interventions and preventive measures to mitigate the adverse effects of chronic stress on physical well-being.

This comprehensive resource provides a one-stop information repository, exploring all psychological aspects of Covid-19. It documents the after-effects of the Covid pandemic, and how it transformed India as a society and its citizens as individuals. The book covers the psycho-social impact on society and individuals and our collective behaviour, as well as coping strategies and interventions and how lessons learned will help in preparedness for the future. Including case studies and the latest research, this book examines how psycho-social paradigms changed as a result of the pandemic, and left their watermark on the human psyche. It also explores the coping strategies adopted to deal with this common aggressor and how the techniques varied in accordance with social, cultural and geographical factors. The final chapters offer new insights for the future, highlighting the psychological infrastructure required, the type of preparedness and handling strategies necessary to mitigate the impact of any future biogenic pandemics. Combining theory and practical application, it will be valuable reading for academics and researchers as well as practising psychologists, clinical psychologists, and law-makers who are concerned with mental health.

COVID-19 and Well-being: Life in the Pandemic explores the immediate implications of the pandemic for people’s lives and livelihoods in OECD countries. The report charts the course of well-being – from jobs and incomes through to social connections, health, work-life balance, safety and more – using data collected during the first 12-15 months of the pandemic.

Library Journal Best Reference 2009 "An excellent gateway to further examination of any of the subdisciplines of relationship science, or as a research tool in its own right." —Library Journal Relationships are fundamental to nearly all domains of human activity, from birth to death. When people participate in healthy, satisfying relationships, they live, work, and learn more effectively. When relationships are distressed or dysfunctional, people are less happy, less healthy, and less productive. Few aspects of human experience have as broad or as deep effects on our lives. The Encyclopedia of Human Relationships offers an interdisciplinary view of all types of human associations—friends, lovers, spouses, roommates, coworkers, teammates, parents and children, cousins, siblings, acquaintances, neighbors, business associates, and so forth. Although each of these connections is unique in some respect, they share a common core of principles and processes. These three volumes provide a state-of-the-art review of the extensive theories, concepts, and empirical findings about human relationships. Key Features Compiles leading-edge information about how people think, feel, and act toward each other Presents the best in the field—authors who have contributed significant scientific knowledge about personal relationships over the past several decades. Offers a diverse approach to relationship science with contributions from psychology, sociology, communication, family studies, anthropology, physiology, neuroscience, history, economics, and legal studies Key Themes: Cognitive Processes in Relationships Communication Processes Creating and Maintaining Closeness Dating, Courtship, and Marriage The Dark Side of Relationships Emotion Processes in Relationships Family Friendship and Caregiving in Adulthood Health and the Biology of Relationships Methods for Studying Relationships Personality and Individual Differences Prevention and Repair of Relationship Problems Psychological Processes Sexuality Social Context of Relationships Social Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Theoretical Approaches to Studying Relationships Types of Relationships Our relationships influence virtually all aspects of our everyday existence and are of deep interest to students, researchers, academics, and laypeople alike. This Encyclopedia is an invaluable addition to any academic or public library.