Models of Health and Influencing Factors Flashcards
What are the 3 main models of health?
- The biomedical model
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) model
- The sociological model
What does the biomedical models say health is?
“Health is freedom from all disease and abnormalities”
Give some advantages of the biomedical model
It is easy to measure as you can quantify illness
If you can diagnose the illness you can treat it
It is an achievable model of health
Easily defines what health is
Give some disadvantages of the biomedical model
It fails to include other factors that affect our health E.g. mental well being
It doesn’t promote prevention
It separates the mind from the body as it doesn’t mention mental or social health
According to this model if you have a disability you are always going to be ill
What of someone is disease but can still function are they ill E.g if someone had gingivitis they have a disease but are they ill?
Someone may feel ill but not have a disease so would they be unhealthy or not?
What does the WHO models say health is?
“Health is the complete state of physical, mental and social well being, NOT merely the absence of disease or infirmity”
Give some advantages of the WHO model
It recognises all aspects of health (mental and physical)
Holistic approach to health
It is a complete model that draws attention to the fact that health affects every sphere of life
Give some disadvantages of the WHO model
It's utopian and unrealistic Potentially unachievable Not easy to measure as its hard to define "complete state" Any defect may be considered unhealthy People may be ill but happy
What does the sociological models say health is?
“Health is an optimum capacity (physical and mental) of an individual for the effective performance of the roles and tasks for which they have been socialised”
Give some of the advantages of the sociological model
Depends and varies on the individual
Addresses social economic and environmental determinants
Give some pf the disadvantages of the sociological model
Doesn’t actually address illnesses
Quality of role function not mentioned. Someone may be doing their job badly
Role function achieved may not be the job the person actually wants to do
What are the 6 factors that can influence a persons health?
- Fixed factors
- Lifestyle and behaviour
- Social, psychological and cultural factors
- Socioeconomic factors
- Access to services
- Environment
Give examples of some fixed facts that can influence health
Age, sex and genes
