Lecture 1 Flashcards
Defining health and health psyc, the biopsychosocial model, and the history leading up to the biopsychosocial model
What do the examples of aids, cancer, homelessness in the Downtown Eastside, COVID-19, and climate change tell us?
These events CAN only be fully understood by considering psychological and social factors→ Health Psychology
We are here to examine the intersection of health between psychosocial factors
Define health
Health: the complete state of well-being, including physical wellbeing, mental, emotional wellbeing and social wellbeing
It’s not merely the absence of disease
Health is not just physical—really, definition means that there are ways that people can further maximize or improve their health even if they’re in that “average” state of health
Recognizing health in terms of well-being is important, many still focus on just the physical and disease, more than just the physical, and the potential to be realized and beyond to strive for
Define the Biopsychosocial Model
Health (including disease/illness) is best understood from a combination of biological, psychological, and social perspectives rather than a purely biological perspective.
This is not to undermine the biological perspective but to view it in addition to social and psychological factors
Underscores the mind-body relationship that’s prevalent in the health psychology field
Connection isn’t the right word
Mind and body are understood as separate systems, but in reality, they’re just two parts of the same system
Thus the creation of the term “Mind-body system”
What is The Medicine Wheel
An Indigenous guide for learning & healing that recognizes 4 aspects of the self
Underscores the importance of balance
Underscore the importance of the spiritual (not religion but connection)
The circle symbolizes how health and well-being are holistic and cyclical
History of health psyc
The Medial Renaissance (1400-1700)
Attempts were made to break away from superstitions of past centuries; this paved the way for modern medicine
Physicians healed the body.Physical evidence was the sole basis for diagnosis.
**Cartesian Dualism: **The mind and body are made of distinct substances and exist independently
René Descartes (1596-1650)
Had a lasting impact on medicine
What is Biomedical Reductionism
Science looked more and more into biology, and in laboratories
Every disease was believed to be understood by identifying it in the body—looking for genetic abnormalities
→ pathogen, genetic or developmental abnormality, or injury
Followed by antibiotics, the use of the microscope, etc
Nothing wrong with the biomedical model—it was hugely successful—but the issue is the omission of biological and social factors
Describe the Changing Patterns of Illness
With advances in technology/medicine that followed, including antibiotics, vaccines, and improved sanitation, nutrition, and personal hygiene, leading causes of death shifted from…
Acute Infectious Diseases (e.g., influenza virus, pneumonia) to chronic conditions (e.g., heart disease, hypertension)
Aligned with the development of vaccines
Shift in leading causes of death
More likely to die from heart disease, or cancer (chronic disease)
1900: leading cause of death was influenza and tuberculosis
2001: leading cause of death was cancer and heart disease
Cancer might be identified more because of changes in environment, increased average life expectancy, more chronic stress
Why is the Biopsychosocial model important/ needed?
Common causes of death are now mainly chronic conditions
Lack of known cures and quick fixes.
Can live with them, but their quality of life is affected.
Require expensive healthcare.
The biomedical model has had limited success in these regards.
Engel’s (1977) biopsychosocial model proposed a more holistic approach to medicine, underscoring the importance of psych. and social factors in health as well as better dialogue between patients and care providers.
Discussion
Consider: What insights can a BPS perspective offer about COVID-19?
Biology
* A biological agent’s impact on biological beings and symptoms
* Vaccines
Psychology
* Vaccine resistance
* Handwashing
* Social isolation and loneliness, but also burnout
Social Factors
* Different experiences amongst different groups
* Social support and interactions matter in how we cope
Describe some of the criticisms of the BPS Model
- Unclear boundaries between biology, psychology, and society, which means that it may be difficult to define their relationships.
- The model is too inclusive, offering an unscientific and “fluffy” approach to health in which “anything goes.”
- Adoption of the model in health care is limited by physicians’ knowledge/training (they can’t be experts in everything)
Describe the interplay of systems
“Living systems have come to be seen as systems (of which mind and body are a unit) which are integral; parts of larger systems, in **permanent interaction with their environment…” **(Mehta, 2011)
We are always interacting with:
Psych systems: experience and behaviour
The World: social and environment systems
Biosystems: genes and physiology
“The mind-body connection” connection isn’t the right word, hence system, they’re not separate entities
What are the 3 important lessons from psychology:
- Person-situation interaction should always be considered.
Contextual factors always matter in behaviour/experience.
They’re always important to a certain degree, the environment and situational factors matter - Causal density is high. In human behaviour/experience, there are numerous causal variables at play.
- Human behaviour is complex! There are no rules or laws; do not assume that a finding applies to everyone equally, or that a variable will always have the same effect
we are messy and complicated—and this is also exacerbated by the fact that our environments are also messy and complicated
