Discussion 1: Psychosocial Factors in Health

Discussion 1: Psychosocial Factors in Health

Psychosocial factors influence health and wellbeing on a daily basis, especially chronic disease (Friis & Sellers, 2021).  Healthy People

2020 highlighted social and physical environment and how it promoted health (Healthy People, 2020).  Understanding how psychosocial factors influence health and wellbeing is valuable to improve and understand patient outcomes.

Psychosocial Example 1

Asthma is a common chronic disease in children with approximately 5.5 million children affected in the United States (Schiliro et al., 2021).  A psychosocial factor that influences asthma in children is exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS), especially by household members (Schiliro et al., 2021).  Children with asthma are especially vulnerable to SHS due to it being an airway irritant (Schiliro et al., 2021).  Exposure to SHS causes exacerbations of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, recurrent pulmonary and ear infections and is completely preventable (Schiliro et al., 2021).  In addition to asthma exacerbations, SHS has been found to increase heavy metal concentrations in children (Li et al., 2018).

Though the number of adult smokers has decreased, the exposure to the vulnerable population of children still exists (Shiliro et al., 2021).  Additional education is needed to adult smokers to help them understand the risks presented to others, especially children, to SHS (Shiliro et al., 2021).  Quit smoking lines are available in most states free of charge to smokers.  Advertisements that accentuate the child exposed to SHS may help with more adult smokers seeking help to quit smoking.

The role of the nurse could be to inquire at well child visits if the parents are smokers.  If so, information and education could be provided to the parent on the effects to the child from SHS.  Awareness and continual efforts to alleviate the exposure to SHS in children is necessary (Li et al., 2018).

Psychosocial Example 2

The second example of a psychosocial factor influencing health is depression in the obese patient.  My hospital has a Bariatric Center of Excellence.  Candidates for bariatric surgery are screened prior to their surgery approval for psychosocial factors, which includes depression.  Obesity and depression are separate health issues, but can affect or be a contributor to the other (Borgland, 2021).  Depression often causes a patient to reduce their activity levels, emotionally eat, and increase alcohol consumption, which contributes to obesity (Borgland, 2021).  Understanding if the patient is at risk for depression or has depression influences the ability to carry through with the intense regimen after bariatric surgery.

Appropriate treatment for depression in the obese patient is paramount for success.  Behavioral therapy can often be a way to help the patient manage their obesity as part of their multimodal regimen (Borgland, 2021).  Educating the obese patient on ways to manage their depression and behaviors will help them have successful weight loss.

Nursing’s role for the bariatric surgery patient is to continually monitor them during their hospital admission for depression.  Just because the patient has entered the hospital to have their bariatric surgery, does not mean the patient cannot have intensification of their depressive symptoms.  The link between obesity and depression needs additional research so that nursing may have a better understanding of how to help this special population of patients.

References

Borgland, S. L. (2021). Can treatment of obesity reduce depression or vice versa? Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 46(2), E313–E318. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.210036

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. (2021). Epidemiology for public health practice (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.