public health Flashcards
define public health
the organised response by society to protect and promote health, and to prevent illness, injury or disability
explain ‘old public health’
the ‘old public health’ was focused on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases through the improvement of infrastructure, control of bacteria and other biological causes
explain the ‘new public health’
The new public health approach identifies that there are many factors that impact on health (physical, environmental, socio cultural) and aims to prevent illness, diseases & injury from occurring by modifying these risk factors. Its concerned with all threats to health and is focused on disease prevention and health promotion
what is the biomedical model of health
focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness. its a medical model of care practiced by doctors and health professionals and is associated with the diagnosis, cure & treatment of diseases.
- “quick fix”
- advances in medical technology
what is the social model of health
a conceptual framework within which improvements in H+W are achieved by directing effort towards addressing the social, economic & environmental determinants of health. It aims to move beyond the biomedical view and address the factors that lead to ill-health and health inequity.
what are the principles of the social model of health?
A- addresses the broader determinants of health
R- acts to reduce social inequities
E- empowers individuals & communities
A-acts to enable access to healthcare
S- involves inter sectorial collaboration
address the broader determinants to health (S)
- the biological, sociocultural and environmental factors
- focus is to reduce the impact of sociocultural & environmental factors that contribute to health inequality
- implementing policies and changes to the environment that promote health
acts to reduce social inequities (S)
- reaching inequities that exists in relation to health status & health services
- factors may be: gender, age, race, SES, location & physical environment
- menas addressing these factors and proving extra support to those who need it most
empowers individuals and communities (S)
- providing individuals & communities with the resources and skill base they need to address the factors that influence their health
- information, resources, empowering with knowledge, confidence, skills which allow individuals to take actions to promote their own health
acts to enable access to health care (S)
- improving access to healthcare
- healthcare services should address barriers to access (location, culture, language, transport, discrimination, building, cost & knowledge)
involves inter sectorial collaboration (S)
- embraces need for integrates action between government departments, the private sector and the health sector + the media
- can’t be addressed by the health sector alone
what is the relationships between the biomedical & social model of health?
they need to work together- they both have different yet important roles without one the other can’t promote health on its own
what are the positives of the biomedical model?
- benefits are immediately noticeable “quick fix”
- cures diseases and illnesses
- improves quality of life
- improves health status
- provides treatment for many medical conditions
what are the negatives of the biomedical model?
- doesn’t teach preventable action & therefore doesn’t necessarily promote good health
- expensive
- relies on the healthcare system
what are the positives of the social model of health?
- promotes good H+W and assists in preventing diseases
- inexpensive
- focusses on vulnerable population groups
- promotes overall H+W ( docent just focus on diseases)
- responsibility for H+W is shared
- focusses on populations rather then individuals
- aims to improve saturation before illness occurs