Health Psychology: Contributions to the Indian Health System

This book provides a holistic understanding of the state of health psychology in the Indian context and the types of psychological and social support and welfare that are offered and required within treatment processes for various illnesses.

The book discusses why health care should be the prerogative of both the biomedical profession and health psychologists and how they work together with medical professionals to augment public health. It emphasises the shift from biomedical to biopsychosocial approach in strengthening health care outcomes. The book highlights the substantial contribution of health psychology to the Indian health care system through simple, cost-effective, indigenous, and standardised techniques that worked efficiently in the context of various diseases. It projects the emerging trends and innovative techniques in health psychology in handling challenging health care needs.

This book will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers of psychology, psychiatry, social psychology, sociology, social work and South Asian studies.

Meena Hariharan is Professor and the Founder Director of the Centre for Health Psychology. She joined University of Hyderabad in 1992. She has published extensively in the field of health psychology covering behavioural cardiology, ICU trauma, coping with non-communicable diseases and resilience studies. She is the Founder President of the Association of Health Psychologists and the Chief Editor of Indian Journal of Health Studies.

Meera Padhy has been associated with the Centre for Health Psychology, University of Hyderabad, India since 2007. She has published extensively on health psychology, developmental psychology, and occupational psychology. Her research interests include behavioural diabetology, occupational health, social support, leisure, and well-being.

Usha Chivukula is working as a faculty at the Centre for Health Psychology, University of Hyderabad and has extended her research into the areas of behavioural cardiology, community health psychology and child and adolescent health.