Psychology and health: interconnections and applications

Psychology

Health and Social Psychology

Socially and environmentally, the rise of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) has a dire affect on health and well-being. With AIDS/HIV patients, their quality of life is reduced dramatically, and eventually most will die from the disease. Socially, this creates more health care costs, the need for more AIDS research, and a fear of sexual encounters for many. The spread of these diseases also has environmental impact, from the reduction of youthful populations to large medical care costs for many third world countries where the monies could be spent on infrastructure and quality of life issues were they not necessary for health care.

Several theories are represented in this rise in STDs, from the implicit theory, which tends to judge people who have STDs as inferior or especially repulsive because of their sexual behavior. Thus, if their condition becomes publicly known, the social impacts can include social ostrasization and loss of sexual partners, just to name two. A female especially may suffer because of the implication that she is "easy" or a slut because she has contracted the disease.

Another important theory regarding STDs and how they are acquired is the behavioral decision theory. Adolescents (and others) who acquire STDs have made a behavioral decision to have unprotected sex, for whatever reason. This decision has proved to be the wrong one, both morally and for their health. Thus, their decision makings skills are called into question, and their behavior has influenced their ability to weigh situations carefully and make the right choices. They did not weigh the side affects at the time, (or did not understand them), and thus paid a price for their choice.