title: Biopsychosocial Approach of Gastrointestinal Disorders.
abstract: Gastrointestinal disorders represent are conditions frequently seen in primary care, usually associated with a poor quality of life, entailing increased direct and indirect costs. Disorders of the digestive tract frequently coexist with psychological impairment. Even in early times scientists were concerned about the influence of the mind over body, and that there are many theories that explain the interaction between psychological factors and the physical status. At the present time the most comprehensive theory is the biopsychosocial model. There are four categories of factors that have to be addressed by the physician (or the integrated team that manages the patient): disease-related, therapeutic-regimen-related, individual factors and psychopathological comorbidities. In the following paper we discuss these factors and their importance in clinical management of gastrointestinal disorders.
authors.affiliation: Prof Dr Octavian Fodor Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania ; Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pojoga
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Mihaela Fadgyas
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Stănculete
keywords: behavioral medicine; biopsychosocial approach; gastrointestinal disorders; health psychology; psychosomatic medicine