The fourth edition of Health Psychology: A Textbook provides students with a accessible and lively introduction to the topics of health psychology research. Reviewing established theory and recent research, the new edition provides comprehensive coverage of health perceptions and beliefs, and behaviours including smoking, exercise, diet and health screening. The chapters have all been fully revised and updated throughout. This edition also features a new chapter on women's health issues, exploring recent research into pregnancy, miscarriage, birth, menopause and related areas. The book provides the most accessible guide to health psychology with excellent coverage of the latest theory and research in this growing field, relevant to student of psychology, health and related subjects. Table Of Contents: Chapter 1. An Introduction to Health Psychology Chapter 2. Health Beliefs Chapter 3. Illness Cognitions Chapter 4. Health Professional ? Patient Communication and the Role of Health Beliefs Chapter 5. SmoChapter King and Alcohol Use Chapter 6. Eating Behaviour Chapter 7. Exercise Chapter 8. Sex Chapter 9. Screening Chapter 10. Stress Chapter 11. Stress and Illness Chapter 12. Pain Chapter 13. Placebos and the Interrelationship among Beliefs, Behaviour and Health Chapter 14. HIV and Cancer - Psychology Throughout the course of Illness (1) Chapter 15. Obesity and Coronary Heart Disease: Psychology throughout the Course of Illness (2) Chapter 16. Women?s Health Issues Chapter 17. Measuring Health Status: from Mortality Rates to Quality of Life Chapter 18. The Assumptions of Health Psychology Special Features: New chapter on women's health issues, exploring recent research into pregnancy, miscarriage, birth, menopause and related areas and area of current and growing interest in the field New "Problems" boxes that analyse health psychology research and identify the shortcomings and limitations of research in the area, encouraging you to challenge and evaluate the integrit