Exploring the application of the biopsychosocial model across hospitals in Nigeria: A mixed methods study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Healthcare delivery models can have significant influence on patient-centred communication due to their influence on the thinking and behaviour of health workers about what constitute sickness and healthcare. While the extant knowledge shows many efforts at transforming Nigeria’s health sector towards sustainability, there are no clear facts on improvements in clinical communication, especially, the adoption of the biopsychosocial model (BPSM) for patient-centred communication (PCC) in the country. Aim: Researchers investigated the adoption of the BPSM for PCC in General Hospitals in Benue State. Methodology: Researchers adopted the pragmatic approach and convergent mixed methods design involving personal survey for 372 patients and in-depth interview for 67 clinicians from 21 of the 23 General Hospitals in the State. Results: Findings show that the BPSM has not been adequately adopted in clinical interactions, consequently, clinical communication is not patient-centred enough. Data analysis using the PCC model shows reasonable evidence of application of the BPSM in some areas, however, the contents of clinical communication largely fall short of the psychosocial and patient involvement characteristics. Inadequate adoption of the BPSM is linked to poor patient satisfaction with the usefulness of clinical interactions for patients’ psychosocial needs and home management of their conditions. Findings indicate a prevalence of systemic issues in the General Hospitals in Benue State interfering with the adoption of the BPSM for PCC. Researchers suggest a purposeful policy direction to enshrine the modern global philosophy of healthcare both in medical practice and education; a strong political will, and a commitment to proper staffing for enhancing the full integration of the BPSM, improving the PCC and clinical communication experience for both patients and clinicians.
Institutions: El-Amin University, Bayero University Kano
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416865373