Models of health and influencing factors

Question 1

What is the World Health Organisation’s definition of health

Answer 1

The World Health Organization - ‘a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence or disease or infirmity’

Question 2

What is a negative for the World Health Organisation’s definition of health

Answer 2

Perceived as utopian and unrealistic

Question 3

What is the definition of a disease
What can cause disease
How can disease affect people

Answer 3

• A pathological condition
• Can be caused by external factors e.g. pathogens
• Disease can affect people physically and mentally

Question 4

What is the definition of an illness?
Describe the symptoms of an illness

Answer 4

• Subjective state experienced by an individual – a feeling of ill-being
• Can be considered a ‘loss of health’
• Symptoms can be perceived, felt and acted upon differently by each person

Question 5

What is the bio-medical model of health

Answer 5

• “Health of freedom from disease and abnormalities”
• Perceived as a negative viewpoint
• Easy to measure

Question 6

Whats the definition of sickness

Answer 6

The social state that results as a consequence of feeling ill or being diseased – reflected in a changed lifestyle – ‘sick role’

Question 7

What is the sociological model’s definition of health

Answer 7

Health is the state of optimum capacity of an individual for the effective performance of the roles and tasks for which they have been socialised

Question 8

What is WHO’s definition of a disability

Answer 8

• International classification of impairments, disabilities and handicaps

Question 9

What is the social model of disability

Answer 9

• People are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment. Barriers can be physical, or attitudinal, economic or political

Question 10

Why does health need a societal perspective

Answer 10

• Helps society to focus on how health is generated within it
• Allows us to consider health in terms of social structures - can modify behaviour + actions

Question 11

Whats the definition of a sickness

Answer 11

The social state that results as a consequence of feeling ill or being diseased – reflected in a changed lifestyle – ‘sick role’

Question 12

How to we help people to stay healthy

Answer 12

1. Medical
2. Educational
3. Societal
4. Behavioural
5. Client-centred

Question 13

Describe the medical model

Answer 13

• Prevention of disease - person is given a diagnosis, usually by the doctor, and the patient is a passive element within the process
• Focus is controlling biological factors

Question 14

Describe the behavioural model

Answer 14

• Changing individual behaviours + attitudes so they adopt a ‘healthy lifestyle’
• E.g. teaching people how to stop smoking, eating the ‘right food’ etc.

Question 15

Describe the educational model
Whats the theory within this model?

Answer 15

• Inform or educate people to improve health and prevent disease
• Theory within this model is that you can affect change in an individual by educating them

Question 16

Describe the societal model

Answer 16

• Health is determined by the social, cultural and physical factors - any solutions should address the political context

Question 17

Describe the client centred model

Answer 17

• A health professional works w/ clients to help identify what they want to know + take action on
• Client makes their own decisions and choices according to their own interests + values

Question 18

What is the common risk factor approach

Answer 18

• Focuses on common risk factors for a number of diseases
• Offers the potential for dealing with a combination of problems simultaneously
• More effective in the long-term and uses resources more efficiently

Question 19

What are the advantages of the common risk factor approach

Answer 19

• Working with agencies to impact a variety of diseases to ensure oral health remains a priority
• Reduced health inequalities

Question 20

What are the disadvantages of the common risk factor approach

Answer 20

• Altering one risk factor could impact on a number of diseases
• Conflicting messages from a variety of providers

Question 21

What’s the largest preventable cause of disability and death in the UK

Answer 21

Smoking

Question 22

What are the impacts of tobacco use on the teeth

Answer 22

• Teeth staining
• Reduction in taste sensation
• Halitosis (bad breath) due to delayed healing

Question 23

What are the impacts of tobacco use on the body

Answer 23

• Increase in the risk of heart disease and stroke
• Lung cancer

Question 24

Explain what is meant by Making healthier choices easier: Department of Health 2004

Answer 24

2003 - Advertising ban in force
2007 - Age of sale rise
2012-15 - Display ban in force
2016 - Standard packs

Question 25

What is the definition of the Quality of Life

Answer 25

An individual’s perception of their position in life, in the context of their culture and value systems and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns

Question 26

What are upstream factors

Answer 26

• People have little control over
• Have population-wide influences
• E.g. Age, Gender

Question 27

What are downstream factors

Answer 27

• Can be influenced yourself
• E.g. Behaviours