Public health is an interdiscipline, and about wholes and parts: indeed, critical health psychology needs to join forces.
Hepworth's assessment of critical health psychology's capacity to contribute to public health promotion (this issue) is commented on and supplemented by selected issues relevant to Hepworth's timely call for interdisciplinary research and action in this context. Drawing on eco-epidemiology, multilevel research strategies are suggested that comprehensively account for individual/psychological and population/sociological factors. It is delineated how health promotion policies may be backed by psychologically informed policy analysis. Regarding health, it is argued to keep scrutinizing ill-health and to resist simplistic notions of quality of life or wellness but also to enhance these by incorporating concepts from positive psychology. Finally, it is considered whether trans disciplinarity may be in aid of fully realizing the potentials of blending the merits of health psychology and public health.
von Lengerke
Thomas
T
Hannover Medical School and GSF-Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Neuherberg, Germany. lengerke.thomas@mh-hannover.de
D001524:Behavioral Medicine; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health