The Behavioral Sciences and Health Care » (1st Edition)

Written for medical students, this textbook provides succinct information on the behavioral, social, and psychological sciences relevant to health and wellness. The book presents a model emphasizing the significance of the interaction among biopsychosocial variables; it also seeks to describe the mechanisms connecting these variables. A USMLE-style review section is included. The authors are researches affiliated with the Association for the Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:William Miles, MD(Rush University Medical Center)
Description:This is a structured textbook of the behavioral sciences, examining how human behavior is governed by the connection of biology, psychology, and the social sciences.
Purpose:The purpose is to offer a comprehensive examination of human behavior, how to approach it in the medical field, and to identify and examine the many variables that govern this behavior. These are certainly worthwhile objectives, particularly in the field of psychiatry.
Audience:The author states that the book is written for medical students as well as for students in other behavior-related fields. However, the subject matter is too important to be limited to only students of human behavior. Residents and practicing clinicians will also find it invaluable.
Features:The book examines the clich?d "biopsychosocial" model so often discussed (but so poorly understood) in psychiatry. The book expands on this concept, and attempts to identify the many mechanisms that interconnect these variables. A tremendous variety of topics is covered in an attempt to do this. The many sections of the book (each divided into several chapters) discuss such things as the evolution of the modern health care model, human developmental stages, and contemporary social issues, and each section discusses how these various subjects relate to the field of human behavior and how they impact the biopsychosocial model. Each chapter begins with bulleted questions focusing on key points covered in the chapter. A thorough answer key (with discussion) to these questions is found at the end of the book. Two excellent appendixes review basic epidemiology and biostatistics. No references are provided.
Assessment:This is one of the better books I have reviewed in the past several academic years. It provides an excellent history and summation of the biopsychosocial model, but then goes further to examine the interrelationship between these concepts and how hey are influenced by other variables. The multiplicity of factors that can compromise human behavior and the relationships between these factors should be understood by any practicing clinician. Anyone who has ever struggled to understand the biopsychosocial model and its true impact on human health should read this book.