discuss the biomedical and biopsychosocial models, the role of biological, psychological, and social factors, current leading causes of death, and the power of healthful behaviors to reduce illness.

The biopsychosocial model is considered to be the most influential modern model of illness and health. It proposes that there is a number of various agents that interact as dynamic processes and co-vary with each other in order to produce health or the beginning, progression, and recovery from a disease (Purdy, 2019). They include biological factors that range from the molecular structures’ changing status; the social factor, which is the presence of social support; and the psychological factors – feelings and thoughts (“Maley lecturer: Health care must adopt a biopsychosocial model,” 2018). It differs from the biomedical model by rejecting its dualist philosophy.

Psychological factors play a leading role in assessing health status within the biopsychosocial model. In general, health is manifested in the joy of life, mental and somatic well-being, and the sense of optimism (Purdy, 2019). This state is defined by the following psychological mechanisms that ensure health:

1. taking responsibility for one’s life;

2. the ability to live in the present;

3. meaningfulness of individual life, and as a result – a consciously built hierarchy of values;

4. the ability to accept and understand other people;

5. self-acceptance and understanding of oneself as a synthesis;

6. confidence in the process of life.

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Within the biopsychosocial paradigm’s framework, illness is viewed as a disorder that is dangerous because can cause a dysfunction – the inability of mental mechanisms to perform their functions in a specific sociocultural space. Simultaneously, not every functional disorder is unambiguously a disease, but only one that becomes the cause of a threat to the existence of a significant person in specific environmental conditions. Therefore, not every bad condition or disorder is a disease, but only the one that needs to be changed.

Biological, Psychological, and Social Factors

As mentioned above, the biomedical model’s idea is that only biological factors influence the body and can cause various diseases. They include gender, hormonal, cerebral lesions, nutrition, hormone levels, brain chemistry, and genetic influences (Albery & Munafo, 2008). Moreover, biological factors are components of microorganisms, human endoparasites, and cell cultures (Albery & Munafo, 2008). Various microorganisms, including microscopic parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria, are also considered biological factors that can damage humans’ health. According to the biopsychosocial model, psychological factors that contribute to a person’s disease include behavior, beliefs, pain, illness perceptions, cognitive illusions, stress, and coping (“Maley lecturer: Health care must adopt a biopsychosocial model,” 2018). As for social factors influencing a patient’s illness, they are class, ethnicity, education, and employment (Albery & Munafo, 2008). The biopsychosocial model suggests that all listed factors influence the health and illness of a person.

Current Leading Causes of Death

As mentioned above, the biomedical model considers only biological, while the biopsychosocial model also suggests psychological and social factors to be the causes of illness and death. According to Xu, Murphy, Kochanek, and Arias (2020), the current leading biological causes of death are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, influenza, pneumonia, and kidney disease. Unintentional injuries may be social causes of death, which corresponds with the biopsychosocial model (Xu et al., 2020). As for psychological causes of death, they are suicide and substance abuse.

Lifestyle or Healthful Behaviors Reduce Illness

It is difficult to argue with the fact that everyone should lead a healthy lifestyle. Good habits and the absence of harmful ones allows not only to keep the body in good shape but also to prevent the occurrence of serious diseases. For example, healthy and adequate sleep is vital for mental health and helps reduce the risk of depression and panic attacks (Sahana, Bhat, Harshitha, & Bhat, 2019). Reducing or giving up sugar intake can save a person from diabetes and obesity. As for physical activity, it helps to avoid unhealthy weight gain (Sahana et al., 2019). These are just a few examples of how important a healthy lifestyle is in reducing disease risk.

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