Psychosocial factors and immune function: Phenomena affecting susceptibility to disease in humans

Title

Psychosocial factors and immune function: Phenomena affecting susceptibility to disease in humans

Creator

Alfonso, Thaddeus; Chander, Jagadesh

Description

The interplay between psychosocial factors and immune function represents a critical area of research in understanding human susceptibility to disease. This chapter elucidates how psychological and social variables influence immune responses, affecting disease outcomes. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of how stress, sleep, personality traits, social support, family dynamics, and socioeconomic status modulate immune function by integrating psychoneuroimmunology, epidemiology, and clinical psychology insights. The goal is to offer a nuanced understanding of these phenomena, highlighting the direct and indirect pathways through which psychosocial factors impact health and well-being. Furthermore, the chapter proposes specific psychosocial interventions backed by empirical evidence that aim to improve immune function. It also discusses potential future directions and research implications. 2025 by IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.

Source

Research Methodologies and Practical Applications in Psychoneuroimmunology;pp.77-103

Date

01-01-2025

Publisher

IGI Global

Coverage

Alfonso T., Christ University, India; Chander J., Christ University, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISBN: 979-836937434-4; 979-836937432-0;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Book chapter

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-7432-0.ch005

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105003127261?origin=resultslist