Models of Health Flashcards
public health
The organised response by society to protect and promote health, and to prevent illness, injury or disability
old public health
Focus on improving infrastructure & the physical environment, especially to provide adequate shelter, clean water and sanitation.
Medical profession has a central place. Focus on the prevention and treatment of disease.
Primary concern is with the prevention of infectious and contagious diseases that pose a threat to health. Improving conditions of those most vulnerable.
new public health
Organised response by society to protect and promote health and to prevent injury, illness and disability.
Understanding of how lifestyle and living conditions influence health status,
Implementing policies and programs, and providing services that protect and promote health and equity.
Focus on disease prevention and health promotion.
Biomedical Approach To Health
Focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness.
It is a medical model of care practiced by doctors and health professionals,
associated with the diagnosis, cure and treatment of disease.
Social Model Of Health
An approach that recognises improvements in health and wellbeing can only be achieved by directing effort towards addressing the physical, sociocultural and political environments of health that have an impact on individuals and population groups
Guiding Principles of the Social Model of Health
A.R.E.A.S.
A- addressing the broader determinants (factor) of health R- acts to reduce social inequalities E- empowers individuals and communities A- acts to enable healthcare S- involves InterSectorial collaboration
Ottawa Charter For
Health Promotion
It defines health promotion as ‘the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health’.
Addresses the broader determinants (factors) of health
Addressing biological, sociocultural AND environmental factors, rather than focusing on the actions or behaviours of individuals.
Society shares responsibility for health and promote health among the most vulnerable, implementing policies and changes to the environment that promote their health.
Example : legislation banning tobacco smoking in public areas.
Acts to Reduce social inequities
Reducing inequities that exist in relation to the health status and provision of health services attributed to a range of factors such as gender, age, race, socioeconomic status, location and physical environment.
Society needs to ensure equality in terms of access to services, and equity in terms of ensuring that those who are disadvantaged due to income, age, race, gender or location have these inequities removed.
Example : providing immunisation programs in schools, Aboriginal Quitline
Empowers Individuals and Communities
For the Community - providing information and resources so individuals can work collectively to address the determinants that impact on health, and therefore benefit the broader community group.
For Individuals - empowering them with the knowledge, confidence, skills, resources to enable them to make decisions and take action to promote their own health.
Acts to enable access to healthcare
Services and information should be readily available and based on need to all.
Involves InterSectorial Collaboration
Integrated action between government departments, the private sector and the health sector.
Example : VicHealth replacing tobacco advertising at sporting events;
Three Basic Strategies
Enable
Mediate
Advocate
Enable
Aim is to support and provide people with the knowledge, information, opportunities, resources and skills that they need to make choices that support good health.
Mediate
health promotion can not be achieved by the health sector alone; its success will depend on the collaboration of all sectors together along with independent organisations working together.
health promotion will be more successful if the community works as a whole to improve and maintain health.
advocate
to be a voice for health promotion
lobbying policy makers to improve health will lead to better health outcomes
Five Priority Action Areas/Elements
Bad Cats Smell Dead Rats
B- Building Healthy Public Policy C-Create Supportive Environments S-Strengthen Community Action D-Develop Personal Skills R- Reorient Health Services
Building Healthy Public Policy
Decisions made by governments and organisations in relation to healthcare policy, legislation, etc.
Removes barriers and promotes equity.
Example : reducing speed limits on roads near schools during school hours
Create Supportive Environments
Involves promoting environments that encourage safe, stimulating and enjoyable living and working conditions so individuals can reach their full potential.
Example : Shade sails in playgrounds.
Strengthen Community Action
Communities working together to set priorities, make decisions, and plan and implement strategies that will help them to achieve better health, and that focus on community action leading to empowerment and improved outcomes as a result of the ownership of their strategies, the social support and public participation.
Involves working together to achieve goals.
Example : QUIT campaign involves the action of VicHealth, Cancer Council, media and general practitioners to promote its messages.
Develop Personal Skills
Involves an individual gaining life skills and information through health promotion EDUCATION.
make choice on their own health
Examples : how to protect yourself from cyber-bullying, how to check your body for skin cancer.
Reorient Health Services
Involves individuals, community groups, health professionals and the government working together to achieve a healthcare system that promotes health.
Aim is to change the attitude of health services and ensure that health promotion is culturally sensitive, directed at specific target groups and meets the needs of the whole person.
Examples : a medical professional discussing the importance of physical activity and healthy eating with a group of overweight adults in an attempt to reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Biomedical Approach To Health
STRENGTHS
- It creates advances in technology and research, provides effective treatment for many common medical conditions
- Extends life expectancy & reduces the amount of time people spend experiencing ill-health
- Improves quality of life & improves the health status of the population People feel a sense of comfort in knowing they can be cured/treated.
Biomedical Approach To Health
LIMITATIONS
- Relies on professional health workers and technology and is therefore expensive & costly. Not everyone can afford it.
- Doesn’t always promote good health or equity, does not place significant emphasis on the relationship between mental and physical h & wb.
- There is not a cure or treatment for every illness or disease, people can get into a false sense of security and continue their unhealthy behaviours as a result.
Social Model Of Health
STRENGTHS
- Promotes good overall H & WB and assists in preventing diseases as it focuses on factors that contribute to disease & goes beyond focusing on the symptoms of the disease.
- Is relatively inexpensive & cost effective in comparison to the Biomedical Approach.
- Focuses on vulnerable population groups as it includes a focus on equity
- Individuals and communities are empowered to promote their own health, aims to improve the situation before illness occurs
- Education can be passed on from generation to generation contributing to sustainable improvements in health and welbeing
Social Model Of Health
LIMITATIONS
Not every condition can be prevented, the causes of some conditions are genetic or very difficult to prevent
-It does not promote the development of technology and medical knowledge
- It does not address health and welbeing concerns of individuals
- Health promotion messages may be ignored which means health and welbeing may not improve. It relies on individuals making good choices & take responsibility for their actions not everyone can do this.
Using Biomedical and Social Models of Health to improve health status:
Initiative Examples
- National Cervical Screening Program
- Lung Cancer
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Road Traffic Accidents
- Injury and Poisonings
- Infectious Diseases
- Mental health conditions
- Cardiovascular Disease.
