ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book compares four major models of health and wellbeing; that is, the biomedical, biopsychosocial, wellness, and ecological models, all developed and tested in the twentieth century, largely in Western cultures representing a modern view of health. It looks at normality, adjustment, and positive mental health and wellbeing, and explores the tension between survival and safety, and personal growth. The book illustrates how technology could support individuals to cope with stress, and the effects of COVID-19 in patients and others. It provides examples of the use of technology in various environmental settings, and with different goals in patients groups and in healthy individuals. The book examines the role of environmental factors and policies that influence health behaviours, and provide relevant examples including: structural, and personal, such as a lack of financial resources to buy healthy food.
