Concepts of Health and Illness in a Sepik Society

Author(s):  
Gilbert Lewis
2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 2309
Author(s):  
Adriana De Oliveira

ABSTRACTObjective: to analyze, through an epistemological essay, the biopsychosocial paradigm, which is widely used to guide the practices in Health Psychology. Method: this is a theoretical study that, through a literature review, proposes an epistemological reflection. For this, the concepts of health and illness were approached, situating the treatments used over time; the notion of Health Psychology and its historical aspects with regard to the emergence and transition from the biomedical to the biopsychosocial model. Results: the coexistence of different versions of the biopsychosocial model, which enclose different epistemological assumptions, are identified through hierarchical or interactionist and integrative or dialectical metatheories. The interactionist metatheory assumes a dualistic (bio + psychosocial) conception, supported by the positivist and biomedical model, with a hierarchical prevalence between the areas concerned when they submit themselves to the epistemological authority of biomedicine. In its turn, in the integrative metatheory, the biological, psychological, and social dimensions interact dialectically, presenting an affinity with the Hippocratic doctrine. Conclusion: the health psychologist’s practices encompass an epistemological attitude, even when he/she ignores it. Therefore, divergent epistemological positions can be identified within the designation biopsychosocial. Descriptors: knowledge; behavioral medicine; practice (psychology).RESUMOObjetivo: analisar, por meio de ensaio epistemológico, o paradigma biopsicossocial, que é amplamente usado para orientar as práticas em Psicologia da Saúde. Método: trata-se de um estudo teórico que, por meio de revisão de literatura, propõe-se a uma reflexão epistemológica. Para tanto, abordaram-se os conceitos de saúde e doença, situando os tratamentos utilizados ao longo do tempo; a concepção de Psicologia da Saúde e seus aspectos históricos de surgimento e a transição do modelo biomédico para o biopsicossocial. Resultados: identifica-se por intermédio das metateorias hierárquica ou interacionista e integradora ou dialética a coexistência de diferentes versões do modelo biopsicossocial, as quais encerram pressupostos epistemológicos distintos. A metateoria interacionista presume uma concepção dualista (bio + psicossocial), alinhando-se ao modelo positivista e biomédico, com prevalência hierárquica entre as áreas envolvidas ao se submeterem à autoridade epistemológica da biomedicina. Já na metateoria integrativa, as dimensões biológica, psicológica e social interagem dialeticamente, apresentando afinidade com a doutrina hipocrática. Conclusão: as práticas do psicólogo da saúde comportam uma atitude epistemológica, mesmo que por ele ignorada. Portanto, dentro da denominação biopsicossocial é possível reconhecer posições epistemológicas divergentes. Descritores: conhecimento; medicina do comportamento; prática (psicologia).RESUMENObjetivo: analizar, a través de ensayo epistemológico, el paradigma biopsicosocial, que es ampliamente utilizado para guiar las prácticas en Psicología de la Salud. Método: esto es un estudio teórico que, por medio de revisión de literatura, se propone a una reflexión epistemológica. Por lo tanto, fueron abordados los conceptos de salud y enfermedad, situando los tratamientos utilizados al paso del tiempo; la concepción de Psicología de la Salud y sus aspectos históricos de surgimiento y la transición del modelo biomédico para el modelo biopsicosocial. Resultados: se identifica a través de las metateorías jerárquica o interaccionista y integradora o dialéctica la coexistencia de diferentes versiones del modelo biopsicosocial, que contienen diferentes supuestos epistemológicos. La metateoría interaccionista presume una concepción dualista (bio + psicosocial), alineandose al modelo positivista y biomédico, con prevalencia jerárquica entre las áreas envueltas sometiendose a la autoridad epistemológica de la biomedicina. Ya en la metateoría integradora, las dimensiones biológica, psicológica y social constituyen una relación dialéctica, presentando afinidad con la doctrina hipocrática. Conclusión: las prácticas del psicólogo de la salud comportan una actitud epistemológica, aunque lo ignore. Por lo tanto, dentro de la denominación biopsicosocial pueden ser reconocidas posiciones epistemológicas divergentes. Descriptores: conocimiento; medicina del comportamiento; práctica (psicología).


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ligia Lima ◽  
Marina Serra de Lemos

AimThe present study aims to test whether different instructions, when using draw-and-write data collection techniques, can be especially suited for understanding specific aspects of children’s conceptions about health and illness.MethodThis is a mixed-method study and participants were 209 schoolchildren, aged 10 to 12 years, who were asked to draw-and-write following one of two different instructions (A or B) that were related to the concepts of health and illness. Texts were examined through content analysis based on a previously validated coding system (inter-rater agreement of 93%).ResultsFindings suggest that the instruction “what does it mean to you to be sick and what does it mean to you to be healthy?” allows a more direct access to experiences and feelings, and that the instruction “draw and write about what a sick person is and what a healthy person is” is more adequate to elicit children’s knowledge and perceptions.ConclusionThe study suggests that to elicit children’s concepts of health and illness, relevant for health education and health promotion interventions, the draw-and-write instructions should be phrased in impersonal general terms. In contrast, for clinical interventions, the instruction should be targeted to the child’s direct experience of being ill.


1996 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Thommen ◽  
Reinhard Westk�mper ◽  
J�rg Schaufelberger ◽  
Christoph Grichting

2017 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia V. Bradley ◽  
Laura J. Hall ◽  
Gale G. Hannigan ◽  
Frederick B. Wood

Background: The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center hosted the National Library of Medicine’s Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness traveling exhibit. The authors’ goal was to promote local interest in the Native Voices exhibit, with an emphasis on making the exhibit content and materials available to American Indian communities throughout rural New Mexico.Case Presentation: We convened a daylong summit to highlight the exhibit and encourage discussion among 30 American Indian community health educators. The summit prompted the compilation and distribution of descriptions of 23 community projects that promote health and wellness. We also took a scaled-down version of the exhibit to 4 rural college campuses around the state that serve significant Native American student populations. Approximately 140 students and faculty interacted with the exhibit materials, and all 4 sites incorporated the exhibit into curriculum activities.Conclusions: A hosted national exhibit developed into a multifaceted, funded project that engaged with Native American communities. We demonstrated successful field deployment of a downsized, portable version of the full traveling exhibit to make meaningful connections with members of our outreach population.


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