Abstract
Psychosomatic medicine can be seen as a comprehensive framework for a holistic consideration of patient care that encompasses the interaction between psychosocial factors and biological factors in the predisposition, precipitation, perpetuation, and the patient’s coping with disease or health state. In this multifactorial frame of reference, the roles of stressful life events, allostatic load, and health-damaging behavior have provided an opportunity for prevention efforts in a holistic manner. This chapter gives a brief historical background of psychosomatic medicine in general and specifically in Africa. There are variations in literature and experiences in different aspects of psychosomatic medicine. Cultural differences may explain these variations. One of the differences lies in individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Although no single society will conform to a one stereotype and that in reality, a continuum exists between the two, in a tabula form, we look at the influences of cultural differences by carrying out a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis in regard to occurrence of psychopathology, course of illness and prevention. This chapter is concluded with clinical implications.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Literature
Baasher TA. Treatment and prevention of psychosomatic disorders: psychosomatic diseases in East Africa. Am J Psychiatry. 1965;121:1095–102.
Brautigam W, Osei Y. Psychosomatic illness concept and psychotherapy among the Akan of Ghana. Can J Psychiatry. 1979;24(5):451–7.
de Jong JT, Reis R. Kiyang-yang, a West-African postwar idiom of distress. Cult Med Psychiatry. 2010;34(2):301–21.
Engel GL. The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science. 1977;196(4286):129–36.
Fava GA, Sonino N. Psychosomatic medicine: emerging trends and perspectives. Psychother Psychosom. 2000;69(4):184–97.
Grant N, Wardle J, Steptoe A. The relationship between life satisfaction and health behavior: A cross-cultural analysis of young adults. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 2009;16:259–268.
Hegeman E. Ethnic syndromes as disguise for protest against colonialism: three ethnographic examples. J Trauma Dissociation. 2013;14(2):138–46.
Leu J, Wang J, Koo K. Are positive emotions just as “positive” across cultures? Emotion. 2011;11:994.
McEvoy PJ, McEvoy HF. Management of psychiatric problems in a Kenyan mission hospital. Br Med J. 1976;1(6023):1454–6.
Ndetei DM, Muhangi J. The prevalence and clinical presentation of psychiatric illness in a rural setting in Kenya. Br J Psychiatry. 1979;135:269–72.
Othieno CJ, et al. How Kenyan physicians treat psychiatric disorders. East Afr Med J. 2001;78(4):204–7.
Reiff M, et al. Illness and treatment perceptions of Ethiopian immigrants and their doctors in Israel. Am J Public Health. 1999;89(12):1814–8.
Steptoe A, Wardle J. Positive affect and biological function in everyday life. Neurobiol Aging. 2005;26(1):108–12.
Triandis HC. Cultural syndromes and subjective well-being. In: Diener EF, Suh EM, editors. Subjective well-being across cultures. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press; 2000. p. 87–112.
Verger P, Combes JB, Kovess-Masfety V, Choquet M, Guagliardo V, Rouillon F, Peretti-Wattel P. Psychological distress in first year university students: socioeconomic and academic stressors, mastery and social support in young men and women. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2009;44(8):643–50.
Ward C, Chang WC. ‘Cultural fit’: a new perspective on personality and sojourner adjustment. Int J Intercult Relat. 1997;21:525–33.
Wittkower ED. Treatment of psychosomatic disorders. Can Med Assoc J. 1964;90:1055–60.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Abbo, C., Odokonyero, R., Ovuga, E. (2020). Psychosomatic Medicine in Africa. In: Fritzsche, K., McDaniel, S., Wirsching, M. (eds) Psychosomatic Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27080-3_26
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27080-3_26
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-27079-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-27080-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)