Subjective well-being as a determinant of individuals' responses to symptoms: a biopsychosocial perspective.

Background: Although many models have been developed to explain health behaviour, differences in individual response to symptoms remain largely unexplained; moreover, they tend to underestimate affective (i.e., emotional) processes and they neglect the construct of well-being, despite its predominant role in the definition of health.

Aim: The development of a novel conceptual framework to explain and predict variability in individuals' responses to symptoms, through a bio-psychosocial perspective, considering also the potential role of subjective well-being.

Materials & Methods: The most widely used health behaviour models were being reviewed, as well as their limitations. Based on the evidence in the literature, major domains that influence response to symptoms are identified and analysed.

Results: A new conceptual framework that is not limited to explanation of common health behaviours such as treatment seeking or problem identification, but draws attention to a broad spectrum of individual reactions and experiences following the physical experience of a symptom or medical condition. The role of subjective well-being and its determinants are considered as a central concept in the proposed framework.

Discussion: The present conceptual framework provides a comprehensive bio-psychosocial perspective on behavioural outcomes related to individual response to symptoms.

Conclusion: The proposed framework opens a new window to patient centred care. Research to evaluate the proposed framework may improve the quality of clinical care and overall patient satisfaction.