Integrating social and biologic factors in health research: a systems view

Ann Epidemiol. 2007 Jul;17(7):569-74. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2007.03.001. Epub 2007 Jun 6.

Abstract

An important focus of recent calls for interdisciplinary approaches in health research has been the integration of social and biomedical sciences in understanding the causes of ill-health. Typical models for the incorporation of social factors into biomedical research include social factors as distal antecedents of more proximate biologic factors and gene-environment interaction. Under both models the distinction between social and biologic factors remains clear-cut, and consideration of social factors is not indispensable for understanding the biologic processes leading to disease. However, recent evidence suggests that social and biologic processes are inextricably linked in systems. This paper reviews models for the incorporation of social factors into the study of health, discusses the potentialities of systems approaches, and highlights implications for population health and epidemiology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Biomedical Research*
  • Epidemiologic Methods
  • Health
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological*
  • Social Environment*
  • Systems Theory*
  • United States