title: Psychoneuroimmunology and health from a nursing perspective.
abstract: Psychoneuroimmunology is the science that links psychological processes and the immune system. It is important to nursing as it offers underpinning theory to support good caring and empathetic nursing. This article describes the science of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and provides an overview of how interactions between psychological states and physiological function take place and some of the consequences for health status. It also reviews the relevance of research to nursing and considers its potential to strengthen the evidence base for therapeutic nursing and complementary therapies.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, University of Wales, Bangor.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langley
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iphofen
mesh_terms: D000529:Complementary Therapies; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006694:Holistic Health; D018939:Holistic Nursing; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D011603:Psychophysiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology