Theme 2 - Biopsychosocial perspective on health

Question 1

what is the lay conception of health?

Answer 1

absence of disease, absence of illness and functional fitness

Question 2

what do the WHO say health is?

Answer 2

a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease

Question 3

what is the biomedical approach in medicine?

Answer 3

the physical processes of disease - pathology, biochemistry and physiology

Question 4

what are the three outcomes of the biomedical approach to disease?

Answer 4

recovery, chronic condition, death

Question 5

give three limitations of the biomedical approach

Answer 5

only focuses on the physical body condition, doesn’t consider the role of the mind or society in cause or treatment of disease, prevention is overlooked, doesn’t take into account psychosocial benefits of some preventative activities, doesn’t consider how social actors may influence medical care

Question 6

what does the illness wellness model show?

Answer 6

the difference between the biomedical treatment model and the biospsychosocial wellness model

Question 7

what does the psychological approach to medicine include?

Answer 7

lifestyle factors and whether illness is affecting psychological wellbeing

Question 8

what does the social approach to medicine include?

Answer 8

approach to medicine in different cultures or geographical areas eg childbirth

Question 9

give an example of how the mind influences health

Answer 9

more conscientious people are at a lower risk of premature death, optimists less likely to experience a stimulus as painful, effects of alcohol can be due to their expectancies and not the alcohol itself

Question 10

what is the placebo effect?

Answer 10

a measurable, observable or felt improvement in health that is not attributable to treatment

Question 11

in what percent of cases is the placebo effect observed?

Answer 11

50-60%

Question 12

what is the nocebo effect?

Answer 12

when an inert substance produces symptoms congruent with anticipated harm

Question 13

what contributes to placebo and nocebo effects?

Answer 13

interplay of psychological and physiological mechanisms eg expectancy, classical conditioning and behaviour

Question 14

what are the direct effects of social support?

Answer 14

positive mood and related psychosocial influences on the endocrine and immune function

Question 15

what are indirect effects of social support?

Answer 15

people are more likely to use health services and adhere to medication

Question 16

what are the implications of the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 16

holistic and treats the person as a whole, illness wellness model, takes social circumstances into consideration, places responsibility of health on the individual

Question 17

what are strengths of the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 17

treats the person as a whole, acknowledges psychological as well as biological factors

Question 18

what are the limitations of the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 18

focus on the individual (may lead to victim blaming), macro factors such as infrastructure and legislation are often overlooked, cultural factors may be overlooked (language)