Psychology and Sociology of illness PDF

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🧼Psychology and Sociology ofillnessLearning outcomes :Understand different definitions of health and its implications for tx To provide an introduction to the biopysychosocial and biomedical model How do we define health? More shift to chronic diseases WHO current definition of health is “a state of...

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Psychology and Sociology of illness Learning outcomes : Understand different definitions of health and its implications for tx To provide an introduction to the biopysychosocial and biomedical model How do we define health? More shift to chronic diseases WHO current definition of health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Definition is not practical because "complete" cannot be measurable or operational. Definition declares ppl with chronic illness and disabilities definitely ill but doesn't take into account that they have the human capacity to deal with the physical, social and emotional challenges What are the 3 domains of health? 3 domains of health = Physical, mental, social

Biomedical and Biopsychosocial model Biomedical model - mid 20th century - to explain diseases and pathogenesis because  it is easy to understand and experiment upon and be modulated upon to generate consistent results  One can easily generalise his results and observations abt a disease or new tx.

Biomedical model - tries to explain physical and mental disorders at a cellular and molecular level w/o considering causative effect of the social and psychological factors of a patient What are the limitations of the biomedical model of health? Dualism, Reductionism, Detached Observer  Dualism This model looked at the brain and mind as separate and did not acknowledge that the mind influences the person. The brain was considered an easy target to study vs the mind. Fear, anger and sadness influenced the

physiological and pathological status of humans. This model couldn't explain why a 2nd MI infection is higher in patients who developed a major depressive disorder or anxiety disorder after the first heart attack.  Reductionism Biomedical model focused only on those that can be objectively measured and analysed and ignored those that couldn't be objectively measured.  Detached Observer Biomedical model did not include mind in the experimental design. What is being observed is directly related to the pathology of the patient. Psychological and social processes are separate and incidental. The person as a whole is therefore not considered by the biomedical approach.

And thus... The Biopsychosocial model was born...! Biopsychosocial model 1970s Explain interaction btw biology, psychology and social Understand patient's suffering from societal and molecular level and in btw Model was created cuz dr's started seeing their patients as objects rather than understand them

People in lower social classes →differences in lifestyles → more risk of illness (morbidity) or death (mortality) Individual factors ( personality, health behaviours, and beliefs) also affect health e.g., individuals who are high on the personality trait of conscientiousness are less likely to engage in risky behaviours and more likely to engage in positive health behaviours A good example of the effect of our beliefs on health and illness is the placebo effect, where people recover because they think they are going to recover, as opposed to recovering because of pharmacological or physical treatment.

Comparison of the 2 models

Case study : Myocardial Infarction Patient with genetic disposition ( father/mother had it) has a higher risk of getting an MI as well, esp if he is a male, esp if he is obese. Patient has knee pain - he chooses a sedentary lifestyle - gains more weight - depressed cuz of body figure/ gf broke up with him - smokes cigarettes

Risk factors : Obesity, cigarette smoking, sedentary lifestyle, depression Thus, MI is complex and not linear : circular causality Linear is A influences B, but B doesn’t influence A. That is, A causes B. Circular is A influences B, and B influences A. The circle/dynamic is ongoing....