Gerontology: Social and Health Perspective
MODULE II
Topic Covered
Models of Health
BIO- PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH
•It is generally recognized that there are two models of
health, namely, biomedical and bio-psychosocial models.
• Biomedical model focuses on treatment and elimination of
symptoms, while bio-psychosocial model focuses on
individual’s perception of their symptoms and how they and
their families respond to symptoms they are experiencing.
•Bio-psychosocial model represents the contribution of
biological, psychological and social factors in determining
health
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOMEDICAL AND BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL
Focal Area Biomedical Model Bio-Psycho-social model
What Biological factors (chemical Biological (virus), psychological
causes imbalances, bacteria, viruses and (beliefs, behavior) and social
illness? genetic predisposition) (unemployment)
Who is Individuals are regarded as victims Individuals should be held
responsible of some external force causing responsible for his/her health
for illness? internal changes. Because illness and illness
is seen as a result of biological
changes beyond their control,
individuals are not seen as
responsible for their illness
How Through vaccination, surgery, The whole person should be
should chemotherapy and radiotherapy, all treated, e.g. behavior change,
illness be of which aim to change the change in beliefs and coping
treated? physical state of the body strategies and compliance with
medical recommendations
Who is The responsibility for treatment The focus is the whole person to
responsible rests with the medical profession be treated not just their physical
for illness; the patient is therefore
treatment? responsible for their treatment
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOMEDICAL AND BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL
Focal Area Biomedical Model Bio-Psycho-social model
What is the Health and illness are seen as qualitatively Health and illness exist on a
relationship different—you are either healthy or continuum. Individuals
between ill—there is no continuum between the two progress along this
health and continuum from health to
illness? illness and back again
What is the The mind and body function The focus is on an
relationship independently of each other. In other interaction between the
between words, the mind and body are separate mind and the body. The
the mind entities mind and body interact
and the
body?
What is the Illness may have psychological Psychological factors not
role of consequences, but not psychological only as possible
psychology causes (e.g. cancer may cause consequences of illness but
in health unhappiness, but mood is not seen as as contributing to it at all
and illness? related to either the onset or progression stages along the continuum
of the cancer) from healthy to being ill
STRENGTHS OF BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL
•Guiding application of medical knowledge to the needs of
each patient.
•I mpro v e d pat i e nt sat i sfac t i o n, be t t e r ad he re nc e to
prescriptions, more maintained behavior change, better
physical and psychological health and less of a tendency to
initiate malpractice litigations.
•Development and application of techniques to reduce health
risk behavior.
Reduce multiple visits and admission into hospitals.
•Individuals with health challenges are acknowledged to be
active participants in the recovery process and good health,
rather than mere passive victims.
I nc re ase e f fic ie nc y o f c are by re d uc ing unne c e ssary
prescription of drugs (i.e. diabetes and other chronic
STRENGTHS OF BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL
•D e v e l o pm e n t o f ps yc h o l o gi c a l t e c h n i q u e s i n t h e
strengthening of immune reaction to illness.
•Bio-psychosocial model can be used as a predictor of pain
and other psychosocial problems resulting into development
appropriate prevention and intervention strategies.
Improvement of communication between health staff and
the patients.
•Development and introduction of programs of life quality
improvement for chronic patients, physically disabled
individuals and the elderly patients.
•Development and application of psychosocial support for
the terminally ill patients and their families.
