determinants of health

1. MENELIK II MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCE
COLLEGE
Psychological and Behavioral
Determinants of Health
Mahdere T.
May 2023

2. Introduction to Medical Psychology
• Medical psychology is a branch of applied
psychology devoted to psychological problems
arising in the practice of medicine, including
psychological aspects of pain, terminal illness,
bereavement, disability, and reactions to
medical advice.
• Medical psychology integrates Medicine by
recognizing the emotional and behavioral
issues with all medical illnesses.

3. Medical psychology is concerned with:
• The effect of psychological processes on
physical illness and recovery;
• Psychological states during treatment;
• Psychological problems related to health
professionals-patient relationships and family
issues.
Medical Psychology is divided into General and
Specific subdivisions.

4. General medical psychology involves:
• The development of the criteria needed to
differentiate normal, temporary symptoms
due to a medical illness from symptoms due to
abnormal mental states.
• The development of personality theories to
determine a patient’s temperament,
character, and emotional state, as well as the
particular behaviours associated with
developmental stage.

5. Cont. …
• The study of psychosomatic interactions and
co-relations.
• The implementation of ethical standards such
as confidentiality, informed consent, and the
promotion of positive health professional-
patient relations.
• The adoption of preventive measures to
maintain and promote mental health,
including psychotherapy.

6. Specific Medical Psychology includes:
• Neuropsychological problems;
• Psychological reactions and the behaviours
related to somatic illnesses such as
cardiovascular, infectious, endocrinologic and
gynecologic diseases, as well as pre/post-
surgical psychological reactions.
• Other divisions such as military and forensic
psychology.

7. Historical views of disease
• Anatomical pathology: belief that disease was
localized in anatomy (16th to 18th centuries)
• Cellular pathology: belief that cells must be
the place to look for disease (19th century)
• Germ theory: discovery that particles that
could not seen (e.g., bacteria) could causes
disease

8. Contemporary view
• Bio -psychosocial model: mind, body, and
environment interact in causing disease.

9. Bio -psychosocial model of disease
• Biology: Genetics, anatomy and physiology
• Pathogens: germs, toxins
• Psychology:
– Behavioral factors: Diet, exercise, smoking, coping
with illness
– Other psychological factors: stress, anxiety,
depression, illness beliefs
• Social factors: family, society, friends

10. Psychological components of the bio
psychosocial model
• Behavioral: actions in relation to the
environment
• Emotions: feelings, subjective states
• Cognition: thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes
• Personality: characteristic ways of thinking
and feeling

11. Clinical relevance of the bio
psychosocial model
• The process of diagnosis must consider the
interaction of biological, psychological and
social factors
• Treatment recommendations must take these
factors into account
• the relationship between the patient and the
health care practitioner has impact on the
effectiveness of care

12. The practical relevance of medical
psychology
• An interdisciplinary effort to open
communication and collaboration
• A common language can be created in which
different disciplines can benefit each other

13. The use of psychological interventions
• Short term behavioral interventions have been
effective in helping patients to:
• Manage pain
• Reduce anxiety prior and after surgery
• Improve communication with professional
• Manage side effects and treatment effects
when coping with chronic illness

14. Contributions of psychology to
medical care
• Reliable and valid measures for assessing
health related factors
• psychological tests
• Techniques useful in changing behaviors that
affect health and illness
• Behavior modification, support and
psychotherapy