Improving Women’s Health via the Biopsychosocial Model: Fibromyalgia as a Case Study to Explore Opportunities for Engineering Applications

The biopsychosocial model of health provides a framework to assess and/or treat various medical disorders and is the most heuristic approach to managing chronic pain. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder primarily affecting women characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and often cognitive difficulties and psychological distress. Evidence-based management guidelines in different countries recommend biopsychosocial, lifestyle-oriented intervention to include exercise, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and multicomponent intervention. State-of-the-art evaluation and treatment approaches in FM illustrate the application of the biopsychosocial model to improve women’s health. Engineering applications are beginning to be developed, that, within the context of this model, have the potential to further advance management of the disorder and improve quality of life for those (primarily women) who suffer from it. Users of existing online multicomponent treatment module platforms experience improved pain and physical functioning. Those who use FM symptom tracking systems report improvements in a number of debilitating core FM symptoms beyond pain and physical function. Areas of engineering application showing particular promise include advances in gaming using commercially available motion-controlled video games, mobile activity and symptom data collection with or without feedback via smartphone devices, and integration of these technologies with clinical oversight.