Psychosocial factors

Psychosocial factors are characteristics or facets that influence an individual psychologically and/or socially. Such factors can describe individuals in relation to their social environment and how these affect physical and mental health. Psychosocial factors include protective psychosocial resources and psychological risk factors. Psychosocial resources in the social environment include social network and social support. Central among psychological resources are coping ability or mastery, sense of coherence, and self-esteem. Psychological risk factors include vital exhaustion, depressiveness, hopelessness, and hostility.
Psychological factors include individual-level processes and meanings that influence mental states.
Psychosocial factors can contribute to the causation and aggravation of a disease and affect the outcome of curative and rehabilitative measures. They can also be used as a means of promoting action for health.
When the influence of a psychosocial factor is strong, individual susceptibility is of lesser importance. An individual has many psychological characteristics and behavioural habits.


References:

Kalimo, R. (1987). Psychosocial factors and workers’ health: an overview. In R. Kalimo, M. A. El-Batawi, & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), Psychosocial factors at work and their relation to health (1–, pp. 3–8). World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://tinyurl.com/mstzy3yk

Kimmel, P. L. (2001). Psychosocial factors in dialysis patients. Kidney International, 59(4), 1599–1613. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1755.2001.0590041599.x

Stansfeld, S. A., & Rasul, F. (2006). Psychosocial factors, depression and illness. Depression and Physical Illness, 19–52. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544293.003

Thomas, K., Nilsson, E., Festin, K., Henriksson, P., & Lowen, M. (2020). Associations of Psychosocial Factors with Multiple Health Behaviors: A Population-Based Study of Middle-Aged Men and Women. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4), 1–17. https://doi.org/doi:10.3390/ijerph17041239