Lecture 1 - health psychology and biopsychosocial model

describe the WHO definition of health

• Health is a state of complete well-being, including

  • Physical well-being

  • mental/emotional well-being, and

  • Social well-being 

• not just the absence of disease

define health psychology

The scientific study of how health and psychology intersect

what is the biopsychosocial model with respect to health psychology

Health (including disease/illness) is best understood from a combination of biological, psychological, and social perspectives, rather than a purely biological perspective

what is the medicine wheel

a holistic and cyclical circle of an indigenous guide for learning & healing that recognizes 4 aspects of the self: spiritual, emotional, mental, physical.

what is the medical renaissance?

1400-1700, where Attempts were made to break away from superstitions of past centuries; this paved the way for modern medicine

what is cartesian dualism?

A philosophical concept proposing that the mind and body are distinct, separate entities that interact but operate independently.

what is biomedical reductionism?

• Every disease process could be explained in terms of an underlying deviation from normal functioning

  • Pathogen, genetic or developmental abnormality, or injury 

describe the changing patterns of illness as technology and medicine advances

With advances in technology/medicine that followed, including antibiotics, vaccines, and improved sanitation, nutrition, and personal hygiene, leading causes of death shift from acute infectious diseases to chronic conditions

• acute infectious diseases: influenza virus, pneumonia

• chronic conditions: heart disease, hypertension

what is the biomedical model?

The biomedical model is a framework for understanding health that emphasizes biological factors, viewing disease primarily as a result of physiological abnormalities, and often excluding psychological and social influences.

explain the major characteristics of chronic conditions

• Lack of known cures and quick fixes

• Can live with them, but quality of life is affected

• Require expensive health care

• Biomedical model has limited success in these regards

what is the benefit of the biopsychosocial model?

Biopsychosocial model proposes a more holistic approach to medicine, underscoring the importance of psychological and social factors in health and better dialogue between patients and care providers

describe some examples of biological factors in the biopsychosocial model

Genetics, physiology, age, immune functioning, nutrition, medications, disease, disorder

describe some examples of psychological factors in the biopsychosocial model

Personality, self-efficacy, perceived control, optimism, stress, coping, diet & exercise, risky behaviours

describe the social factors in the biopsychosocial model

Support, caregiving, gender, culture, income, ethnicity/race, discrimination, stigma, health disparities

what are some of the criticisms of the biopsychosocial 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)

what are the 3 important lessons learnt in psychology to keep in mind while moving into the future

• Person-situation interaction should always be considered: contextual factors always matter in behaviour/experience

• 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

describe the biopsychosocial model with respective to COVID-19

biological factors: virus-related factors, individual health status, physiological response to COVID-19, vaccination and treatment

psychological factors: anxiety, fear, depression, coping strategies

social factors: SES, cultural norms, social support, healthcare systems