ABSTRACT
There are three strands to this chapter, which centrally relate to the 'healthcare setting'. Health psychology can help to understand and improve healthcare services that relate to the role of communication in healthcare settings, the impact of non-adherence and the role of HP in improving adherence and the impact of hospitalisation and stressful procedures on both adults and children. Good communication is extremely important, it provides doctors the ability to gather information, which in turn can facilitate an accurate diagnosis, counsel appropriately, give therapeutic instructions, and establish caring relationships. Behavioural factors and poor communication have also been linked to poor coping resources, reduced functional status and reduced adherence to treatment. Training healthcare professionals in communication skills results has been shown to substantially and significantly improve patient adherence such that with communication training, the odds of patient adherence are 1.62 times higher than when a healthcare professional receives no training.
