Health Psychology Topics: Research Ideas

Health psychology topics can cover a range of issues related to health, illness, and healthcare. This can include things like eating disorders, weight management, diet, exercise, stress management, women’s health, and more.

Health psychology, also known as medical psychology or behavioral medicine, focuses on how biology, psychology, behavior, and social factors influence health and well-being. It’s a diverse and rich field worth exploring if you’re studying to become a healthcare professional.

Health psychology research and article topic ideas

Next time you are looking for a research topic for your studies and would like to focus on health psychology, consider the following suggestions. These can inspire a experiencea research paper or any other type of class project.

Topic Ideas on Exercise and Eating Behavior

Health behaviors, including exercise and diet, are a major topic in the field of health psychology. Some areas you might choose to explore include:

Weight management strategies

Explore some of the psychological strategies that can help people follow a diet and exercise program. Is there a single strategy that is more effective than others?

Eating disorders

Analyze how media representations of “ideal” bodies influence anorexia and bulimia. Is there a link between exposure to these images and eating disorders?

Social media and body image

Look at how exposure to social media affects body image. Do young people who spend more time on social media have poorer body image than those who use these apps and websites less frequently? What type of content has the most significant impact on body image?

Family Health and Safety Topic Ideas

Factors that influence family health and safety are another health psychology topic you might consider. Examples include:

Safe Sleep Practices

Learn how increased public awareness of infant safety, such as placing a baby on their back to sleep or removing pillows and other objects from the sleeping area, has influenced the occurrence of SIDS, or “death in cradle”. Have the number of SIDS-related deaths decreased? Why do some parents ignore these sleep safety guidelines?

Childhood vaccinations

Evaluate current approaches to childhood immunization. Why do some parents choose not to vaccinate their children? What impact does this have on public health? What can health professionals do to increase the likelihood that children will be vaccinated?

Teen suicide

Explore the factors that contribute to teenage suicide. How effective are suicide prevention programs? Which strategies are most effective?

Effects of caregiving

Consider the emotional, social, and psychological impact of caregiving, such as caring for an aging parent, a family member with AIDS, or a spouse with Alzheimer’s disease.

Public Health Topic Ideas

Individual health is important, but health psychology also wants to know more about things that can have an effect on overall public health. Some examples include:>

Dealing with trauma

What can Mental Health and health professionals to help people cope immediately after a disaster? Are there strategies that lead to better long-term results?

PTSD in Veterans

Research the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. What factors contribute to determining whether a veteran has PTSD? What mental health interventions are most effective in treating this disorder?

Dealing with chronic pain

Evaluate how stress management techniques and relaxation methods can help patients with chronic pain. How effective are these tactics? How do they compare to traditional pharmacological approaches to pain management?

Smoking cessation

Compare and contrast different approaches to quitting smoking. Which strategies are most effective?

Use of safety equipment

Consider different techniques that can be used to increase the likelihood that people will use safety equipment such as seat belts and bicycle helmets. What type of public safety program would you design to encourage the use of these products?

More Health Psychology Topics

The above represents just a few specific topics and questions you may want to explore, but there are many other areas you might want to consider as well. Some great health psychology topics that might also inspire your research include:

• Biological factors that influence health
• Social and environmental factors that impact health (i.e., social determinants of health)
• Psychological factors that influence health
• How patients cope with the disease
• Treatment adherence (i.e. why some people do not follow their treatment plan)
• Ways to change bad habits
• How develop good habits
• Techniques to control pain
• How to manage stress
• Factors that influence mental well-being
• How to improve access to health resources
• Why do people feel emotional eating
• How emotions influence health behaviors
• How discrimination affects health
• How to improve doctor-patient communication

Tips before you start

Before you begin, make sure the topic you are interested in matches the specific assignment. Even if your instructor doesn’t require you to get approval for the topic you’re considering, it’s still a good idea to confide it to them before you dig deeper.

Of course, make sure you choose a topic that you know you can find suitable sources for. You wouldn’t want to embark on a project only to find insufficient existing information to work with. Again, your instructor’s input can save you from wasting time on a topic that offers little to explore in depth.