Models of Health
Unit 1 models of health
There are two different models of health of which will be looking at the bio medical model and social model of health, there are numerous models and explanations that highlight biological as well as social and psychological processes (Naidoo and Wills, 2008; Aggleton, 1990).
The biomedical model is what dominates today’s medical profession, “People are healthy so long as they show no signs of bodily abnormality” (Aggleton, 1990). This is a typical biomedical statement it shows that medical practitioners who follow the biomedical model are more focussed on treating the body and not the mind, this is because it is quicker and cheaper to treat a person with drugs rather than delve into treating the mind with psychiatrists, This model focuses on the dominance of medicine and sees disease and illness as objective states in terms of signs and symptoms (Naidoo and Wills, 2008; Trowler, 1995). This model shows that doctors take a curative approach when it comes to health this means that drugs and surgery are the best options.
The reason the biomedical model is dominating the medical profession is because they take a social positivist stance, whereby statistical evidence is seen to be imperative, they believe that research and statistics will back them up, medicines and treatments that have been researched and studied are not only safer to use but protects the doctor from law suits or adversities this is why CAMs are not funded by the NHS, also if it hasn’t been studied or proven to work it is a waste on time and money. The issue with using CAMs is that they haven’t been properly tested to be safe and effective therefore a doctor cannot prescribe or advice a patient to use/ have therapy in them, for example acupuncture there is reasonably good evidence to say that acupuncture can help things like chronic back pain, dental pain and headaches. “The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) say that acupuncture is an effective treatment
There are two different models of health of which will be looking at the bio medical model and social model of health, there are numerous models and explanations that highlight biological as well as social and psychological processes (Naidoo and Wills, 2008; Aggleton, 1990).
The biomedical model is what dominates today’s medical profession, “People are healthy so long as they show no signs of bodily abnormality” (Aggleton, 1990). This is a typical biomedical statement it shows that medical practitioners who follow the biomedical model are more focussed on treating the body and not the mind, this is because it is quicker and cheaper to treat a person with drugs rather than delve into treating the mind with psychiatrists, This model focuses on the dominance of medicine and sees disease and illness as objective states in terms of signs and symptoms (Naidoo and Wills, 2008; Trowler, 1995). This model shows that doctors take a curative approach when it comes to health this means that drugs and surgery are the best options.
The reason the biomedical model is dominating the medical profession is because they take a social positivist stance, whereby statistical evidence is seen to be imperative, they believe that research and statistics will back them up, medicines and treatments that have been researched and studied are not only safer to use but protects the doctor from law suits or adversities this is why CAMs are not funded by the NHS, also if it hasn’t been studied or proven to work it is a waste on time and money. The issue with using CAMs is that they haven’t been properly tested to be safe and effective therefore a doctor cannot prescribe or advice a patient to use/ have therapy in them, for example acupuncture there is reasonably good evidence to say that acupuncture can help things like chronic back pain, dental pain and headaches. “The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) say that acupuncture is an effective treatment
Bibliography: Social_Issues_L1_Biomedical_and_Social_Models_of_Health_Rummage_ WHO. Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June 1946, and entered into force on 7 April 1948. NHS. (2012). Acupuncture . Available: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Acupuncture/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Last accessed 1st march 2013. Üstün B., Jakob R. Calling a spade a spade: meaningful definitions of health conditions. Bull World Health Organ 2005;83:802. Acheson (DH, 1998) and Marmot (2010) National Health and Medical Research Council. Promoting the health of Indigenous Australians. A review of infrastructure support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health advancement. Final report and recommendations. Canberra: NHMRC, 1996: part 2: 4. Nijhuis H. G., Van der Maesen L. J. G. The philosophical foundations of public health: an invitation to debate. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 1994;48:1-3. Üstün & Jakob. (2005). Re-defining ‘Health’. Available: http://www.who.int/bulletin/bulletin_board/83/ustun11051/en/. Last accessed 1st march 2013. Social_Issues_L2_Concepts_of_Health_2012