Biopsychosocial perspective on health

Question 1

Illness

Answer 1

The presence of subjective symptoms- How the body reacts to disease

Question 2

Disease

Answer 2

The presence of pathogen/ toxin that causes objective signs.

Question 3

Health

Answer 3

The state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease.

Question 4

The biomedical approach to health

Answer 4

Focuses on disease:

1. Pathogen acts as a stimulus
2. This triggers physiological and biochemical mechanisms and a change to them.
3. Causes a disease which can be:
   Chronic
   Lead to death
   Disappear due to recovery

Medication and prevention can occur between many steps to prevent a progression into the next step.

Question 5

Limitations of the biomedical approach to health (4)

Answer 5

• Increase in chronic conditions:
  less death from infectious disease
• Does not consider how one can be affected socially or mentally as they are not affected by pathogens.
• Only focuses on the physical aspect of health
• Only considers physical prevention of disease:
  Does not consider psychological or social preventions like support.

Question 6

Biopsychosocial aspect of health

Answer 6

The concept of treating health from a biomedical, psychological and social aspect.

Disease can always affect the psychology of an individual.

Biomedical changes can cause mental illnesses, i.e changes in dopamine and depression.

Social factors can affect the mental well being of an individual and physical welbeing (i.e health services)

Question 7

Implications of the biopsychosocial

Answer 7

Has a holistic approach, treats the whole person as whole:

• Makes treating patients to become more complex as it is beyond symptoms and disease
• Involves exploring patient beliefs, family history and psychosocial circumstances

Question 8

Placebo effect

Answer 8

An measurable, observable or felt improvement in health not attribute to treatment.

Example of how psychological aspect ties with biomedical approach (physiology)

Question 9

Nocebo effect

Answer 9

When an inert substance produces symptoms due to anticipated harm.

Question 10

Effect of personality on health

Answer 10

Evidence of certain personality can improve or decrease life expectancy.

e.g.
Increased conscientiousness, shows a decreased expectancy of premature death.

Increased optimism shows a difference response to pain, which is less debilitating.

Question 11

How can the psychological aspect of expectations affect health

Answer 11

People’s feeling of the same stimulus depends on their expectation to that stimulus.

Distractions can reduce pain as expectations are blurred.

Alcohol expectations: despite the depressive effect of alcohol, it can still have a euphoric effect depending on expectations.

Placebo/ Nocebos

Question 12

Psychoimmunology and psychoneuroendocrinology

Answer 12

The link with psychological health and psychical health of the immune system and hormone function.

An increase in stress, pessimism, depression and loneliness can impair the immune function.

Question 13

Strengths of the biopsychosocial approach to health.

Answer 13

Treats the person as whole, which allows all aspect of the person to be treated.

Acknowledges biographical and psychological factors.

Allows recognition of the social context

Question 14

How can social factors affect the health of an individual?

Answer 14

Directly:
Increase positivity and psychosocial influences can improve the endocrine and immune system.

Indirectly:
Increase in social support could increase one’s ability to use health services and continuously follow medication

Increased better social relationships can help to reduce premature death