Medical psychology is a branch of applied psychology concerned with psychological processes related to physical illness and healthcare. It focuses on the effect of psychology on illness and recovery, psychological states during treatment, and psychology of patient-healthcare provider relationships. The bio-psychosocial model recognizes that biological, psychological, and social factors interact to cause disease. Considering these multiple factors is clinically relevant for diagnosis and treatment. Medical psychology aims to improve communication between fields and apply psychological interventions, like managing pain or anxiety, to support medical care.

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