Social science, behavioural medicine, and the tomato effect.

'Behavioural medicine' is poised to contribute to the quality of health to the benefit of patients and physicians. There is a need for medical students and residents to better understand the field of behavioural medicine, and for practising physicians to incorporate it in medical education and clinical practice. This paper seeks to correct an erroneous conceptualization of behavioural medicine as being limited to psychosocial and mental health adjustments, and to provide examples of selected applications for medical conditions, including those that are not primarily regarded as requiring changes in lifestyle or psychotherapy. In fact, there are dramatic treatment and intervention protocols available that employ behavioural procedures that can provide relief for patients in all medical and dental specialties and that deserve to be considered along with conventional treatment protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]