Psychosocial factors and physical illness in primary care: Promoting the biopsychosocial model in medical practice

Contends that improvement in the frequency and accuracy of the detection of emotional distress and psychosocial problems necessitates integrated multidisciplinary strategies. They are best devised within an educational framework comprising the elements of attitude, knowledge, and skills. The detection of psychiatric morbidity by the primary care physician can be improved only by teaching practical patient-centered and problem-based interview skills. The belief in the biopsychosocial approach in substitution for, not in addition to, the biomedical approach, is essential for enhancing and maintaining the learning of patient-centered skills. In addition, teaching management and treatment skills that are specific for particular groups of patients makes sense only if physicians have learned to identify the target patients correctly and if the teaching of specific skills satisfies the precise learning needs of the physicians. (PsycLIT Database Copyright 1997 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)