Describe the main attributes of both the biomedical and social models of health. There are a number of ways in which health can be defined, some argue that to be healthy you must
Describe the main attributes of both the biomedical and social models of health.
There are a number of ways in which health can be defined, some argue that to be healthy you must be free from any form of disease or abnormality others state to be healthy depends on your biopsychosocial approach, your ability to satisfy the demands of life, your health as a result of your past, your lifecycle, your culture and also your personal responsibility. However in 1946 the World Health Organisation (WHO) defined health as …………..
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity… is one of the fundamental rights of every human being…. and is dependant upon the fullest co-operation of individuals and States. Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.” www.who.org
This definition by WHO is recognised worldwide, but it doesn’t mean that it is right and everyone must agree with it, as the biomedical model states that illness is always due to abnormalities in the body’s functioning, and to be healthy one must be free from disease. This model is the basis of modern western medical practice. The biomedical model of health came about from the enlightment after the 16th century, which focused on shedding light on the world. It looked into discovering the nature of the world and ‘man’. This model works on the theory that if a part of the body isn’t working effectively it should be fixed or replaced, in the same way that a piece of machinery would be repaired. This links in with the technical skills and interventions often used in today’s medicine. Observation is a key aspect of biomedical health and it is a reductionisms view of illness. This means that it takes the simplest possible cause of an illness and applies the simplest cure. The biomedical model singles out one factor that may cause an illness and doesn’t take time to consider other possible factors that may have lead to certain illnesses. Hardey, M (1998) the Social Context of Health. For example the biomedical model would say smoking is the cause of lung cancer, but not all smokers get lung cancer so other factors must be involved. Yet the biomedical model does not differentiate between illness and heath and suggests that if you are not ill you are healthy. This doesn’t encourage or promote healthy lifestyles in people, as one might think that if they are smoking, drinking excessively, not exercising and eating a high fat diet and don’t feel ill then it is fine to continue with these bad habits, when in-fact this is untrue. Blaxter, M (2004) Health
