The behavioural approach in medical practice

This paper gives a description of the behavioural approach, behaviour therapy, and behavioural medicine in a medical and general hospital setting and describes the intimate link between behaviour and illness, showing how knowledge of the way learning takes place and influences behaviour can lead to a better understanding of the aetiology of illness and thus to appropriate treatment. A behavioural approach can be applied to the understanding and treatment of medical problems associated with sphincteric disturbances, such as childhood encopresis and urinary retention, as well as to the improvement of patient compliance and to the better management of pain. In the field of preventive medicine this approach is of importance in modifying behaviour associated with cardiovascular disorders, obesity, and smoking.