Biopsychosocial Perspectives and Practices for Addressing Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases

Book excerpt: While there are a number of clinical practices for treating a variety of diseases, there is an urgent need to integrate bio-psychosocial perspectives and practices in order to promote comprehensive healthcare. Current research reports that diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and heart diseases are a growing threat to the heath and quality of life of individuals across the globe. Considering that nearly all these diseases are directly related to the lifestyle of an individual, prevention and intervention should be devised to address psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual factors. Biopsychosocial Perspectives and Practices for Addressing Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases is a collection of theoretical research that promotes good health and quality of life through psychosocial interventions to address psychosocial problems facing individuals such as discrimination and stigma, stress, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, lack of physical activity, and many other socio-economic factors. While highlighting topics including mental health, traditional healthcare, and global health, this book is ideally designed for therapists, counselors, psychologists, medical professionals, hospital administrators, researchers, academicians, and students in fields that include public health, nursing, community-based healthcare, health psychology, HIV/AIDS education, human movement education, and sport psychology.