Health promotion and illness prevention: a biopsychosocial perspective

The biomedical model of disease, in which health is viewed as the absence of disease, is becoming obsolete. Burgeoning health care costs coupled with an increased focus on health promotion and illness prevention have created new demands on the health care delivery system. A biopsychosocial model of health care--in which disease is seen as an interplay between environmental, physical, behavioral, psychological, and social factors--can integrate mental health services into the primary care sector. Social workers, as primary providers of psychosocial care, can close the gap between physical health and mental health services. Strategies for implementing the biopsychosocial model, methods to evaluate its effectiveness, potential problems, and recommendations for future research are discussed.