Lecture 7

Question 1

Social Networks & the Common Cold -
Cohen et al. (1997) examined…

Answer 1

• The role of social network diversity (# of different types of relationships) in contracting a cold
• People with fewer than 4 types of social roles were over 4 times more likely to catch cold than those with 6 or more roles.

Question 2

Social Networks & the Common Cold - what can allso worsen cold symptoms?

Answer 2

Subjective loneliness

Question 3

Social support on mortality?

Answer 3

Can have larger impact on mortality rate than typically considered factors

Question 4

– Health Benefits of Nature and Mindfulness –

Question 5

Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Greenspace/Greenery - Significant reductions in… (3)

Answer 5

• heart rate
• diastolic blood pressure
• salivary cortisol

Question 6

Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Greenspace/Greenery - Significant decreases in… (5)

Answer 6

• Type 2 diabetes
• all-cause mortality
• cardiovascular mortality
• Mental health benefits
• Rumination and depression

Question 7

How can we explain these positive effects of greenspace on health? (4)

Answer 7

1. Opportunities for physical activity
2. Increased social interaction.
3. Exposure to sunlight & associated benefits.
4. Mitigation of harmful environmental exposure (noise, pollution).

Question 8

The “old friends” hypothesis

Answer 8

Increased exposure to a range of micro-organisms which may be important for the development of the immune system and the regulation of inflammatory responses.

Question 9

What about blue space?

Answer 9

• Exposure to blue spaces (aquatic environments) has been associated with psychological well-being and physical activity
• Residential exposure to visible blue space was associated with lower stress perception than green space

Question 10

Mindfulness & Health - Mindfulness Based Therapy?

Answer 10

• MBT is moderately effective in pre-post comparisons and in comparisons to wait-list control groups.
• Also effective when compared to other treatments; but not significantly different/better from CBT or behavioural techniques

Question 11

Mindfulness & Health - 1

Answer 11

Deal with things, problem-solve. (problem-solving / denial/avoidance)

Question 12

Mindfulness & Health - 2

Answer 12

Process and express your feelings. (disclosure / rumination)

Question 13

Mindfulness & Health - 3

Answer 13

Engage positive emotions; find benefits/meaning. (positive reappraisal)

Question 14

Mindfulness & Health - 4

Answer 14

Accommodate to the stressor as needed. (acceptance)

Question 15

Mindfulness & Health - 5

Answer 15

Find support and collaborate. (support-seeking / empathy / withdrawal)

Question 16

– Health Disparities –

Question 17

Health Disparities

Answer 17

Inequalities (differences or gaps) in health (morbidity and mortality) or health care between groups

Question 18

Health Disparities in Canada?

Answer 18

• Health inequalities in Canada exist, persist, and grow
• Many of these inequalities are the result of individuals’ and groups’ relative social, political, and economic disadvantages

Question 19

– Health of Indigenous Peoples –

Question 20

On-Reserve Living - poverty rates + why?

Answer 20

• 47-53% of First Nations children living on reserves live in poverty
• A result from flawed policies, lack of improvement for those living on reserves

Question 21

The Trauma of Colonization

Answer 21

For Indigenous peoples, European colonization involved a series of highly traumatic stressors, including new disease, loss of land, mandatory residential schools, criminalization/loss of culture, sterilization of women, genocide, and forced assimilation.

Question 22

The Trauma of Colonization - Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world report higher… (2)

Answer 22

psychological distress and PTSD

Question 23

Intergenerational Trauma

Answer 23

• Refers to trauma passed down to subsequent generations
• Historical traumas have had lasting effects on Indigenous peoples that are still felt today, including increased distress and compromised health

Question 24

What direct & indirect mechanisms may be involved in intergenerational trauma? (4)

Answer 24

• Direct experiences of trauma
• Vicarious trauma (via stories, etc.)
• Lack of culture & cultural identity
• Marginalization & discrimination

Question 25

The (+?) Role of Developing Cultural Identity?

Answer 25

Cultivating a stronger **cultural identity** may be an **important way to reduce the impact of stress and trauma** on the health of Indigenous communities

Question 26

Factors in Resilience - Indigenous communities that **engage in more efforts to reclaim their culture tend to experience:**

Answer 26

decreases in youth suicide, improved education, and fewer children being placed in foster care

Question 27

In Indigenous youth (urban and rural), **what** has been associated with better health and resilience

Answer 27

**a sense of connection to the land and nature** and **engagement with nature**