Fully integrated gender and cultural diversity coverage. Promoting understanding of, and respect for, differences among groups of people and how these differences affect health and illness. The Diversity and Healthy Living boxes found throughout the text expand the integrated coverage of gender and multicultural issues by highlighting specific health issues.

Biopsychosocial approach. The book follows the biopsychosocial model as the basic organizing template. Each chapter dealing with a specific health problem—on cardiovascular disease and diabetes, cancer, and substance use/abuse, for example—presents a critical analysis of what we know to be the underlying biological, psychological, and social factors in the onset of the health problem, as well as how these factors affect the course of the disease and the outcome.

An engaging case study or vignette at the beginning of each chapter connects the world of health psychology to some concrete experience and weaves a thread of human interest throughout the chapter. All of these describe real situations.

The life-course perspective. In integrated coverage through the text, students will learn about the special needs and health challenges of people in every season of life.
Coverage of complementary and alternative medicine.. Chapter 15 carefully explores the validity of these high-interest, alternative interventions.
Your Health Assets boxes that give students self-testing opportunities to connect the material to their own experiences.

Interpreting Data boxes that help students become more comfortable with the crucial quantitative component of research in a health psychology context.

End-of-chapter Weigh In on Health features that emphasize critical thinking to help students assess their understanding of material, and to make meaningful connections between the course and their own life experiences
Full supplements package including: LaunchPad solo (Video activities, Critical Thinking Exercises, Web quizzes, PsychSim 6);  Instructor’s Resource Manual, Downloadable Computerized Test Bank in Diploma, Illustration and Lecture Slides, Interactive flashcards .