Biopsychosocial Model of Health Essays

Biopsychosocial Model of Health Essays Biopsychosocial Model of Health Paper Biopsychosocial Model of Health Paper The biopsychosocial model is a model that explains that health and illness are determined by interactions between biological, psychological and social factors. The model explains that disease involves several levels of functioning and one of these is the physician-patient relationship (White 2005). According to this model, psychosocial factors such as relationships and beliefs play an important role in the recovery or progression of a disease (White 2005). The model was first explained by a doctor known as George Engel who observed that disease is not only manifested in terms of pathophysiology; rather, disease simultaneously affects different levels of functioning including the family and the society (White 2005). Biomedical model is a model of illness and health which focuses solely on biological factors such as biochemistry and pathophysiology of a disease in explaining health and illness. Unlike the biopsychosocial model, the biomedical model does not take into account social and psychological factors (Miley 1999). The model originated in the mid nineteenth century and has been widely used by physicians. However, it does not answer some questions and this led to its criticism and the development of the biopsychosocial model. Compared to biopsychosocial model, the biomedical model is less explanatory for though diseases are caused by biological disruption, there are underlying social factors that lead to development of diseases (Miley 1999). For example diabetes can be as a result of sedentary lifestyle and this is a social aspect. The biomedical model has been greatly criticized. It has been greatly criticized by the psychiatrists who say that it is too narrow and thus it does not comprehensively explain psychiatric illnesses. Since the model assumes that illnesses are due to pathological conditions, that diseases have distinct symptoms, and that diseases have a time course that can be recognised, it has been controversial when used to explain disorders such as those related to substance abuse and personality since these do not conform to these principles (Sturmey 2009). The model has also been criticized for not taking into account the effect of cultural, experience, and social influences on the development of mental illnesses (Sturmey 2009). The critics say that an individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and place in society play an important role in mental health (Sturmey 2009). These shortcomings in the biomedical model led to the development of the biopsychosocial model. Engel was trying to provide a solution to unanswered questions in psychiatry and modern medicine. Health psychology is a relatively new field having been given discovered during the late 1970’s (Brannon 2009). The field emerged following the need to explain psychology’s contribution to health enhancement, prevention of disease, and treatment of disease (Brannon 2009). The field of health sociology developed following the need to understand the relationship between health and the society. The field seeks to understand how healthcare is perceived by different cultures in the society. Sigmund Freud and Ivan Pavlov are famous theorists whose theories can be applied in practice. Pavlov developed a theory known as the theory of higher nervous activity which explains that abnormal disorders in humans are as a result of the interactions between environmental conditions and an individual’s innate aspects (Pavlov 1994). He applied the concept of temperament to explain why some individuals were cowards and others brave and he attributed these to nervous processes (Pavlov 1994). These nervous processes are involved in the development of diseases such as hysteria and thus his theory can be applied in practice (Pavlov 1994). Sigmud Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages seeks to explain that our sexuality starts early in life and develops through several fixations (Smith 1999).   He says that the stages of sexual development should be psychologically completed and released to avoid trapping (Smith 1999). These ideas are relevant to practice since sex is an important part of life and the explanations provided by the theory can be used to help people who are suffering from the effects of unsuccessful sexual maturity. It seems that understanding of health and illness is very important to provision of healthcare. This has led to development of the biopsychosocial and biomedicine models. Both the models explain health and diseases and even though the biopsychosocial model seems advanced, it has its foundation in biomedical model.