Biomedical Model Essay

The challenge of defining and measuring health in contemporary society.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as " a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". Today we live in a society that is constantly changing around us, and we are forced to question the meaning of health, how it is defined, how it contributes to shaping contemporary society and how it is measured. In contemporary society, further emphasis is being placed on the mental and social aspects of health, on the overall "well-being" of a person, and it is these aspects that form some of the fundamental frameworks on which health is based. We cannot look to define health without also defining disease
In contemporary society, particularly in the Western world, the biomedical model is perhaps the most commonly used framework for understanding health and illness, not solely by members of the medical profession but also by the lay population. This paradigm is based on a "specific way of thinking about and explaining disease based on biological factors" (Barry & Yuill, 2008). In recent years however, this biomedical model has begun to face challenges as the expansion of knowledge among the lay population has seen the steady demise of the medical expert. Nettleton (2006) suggests that the biomedical model is based on five primary beliefs ; "Mind/body dualism" - that it is possible to treat the mind and body individually, "The mechanical metaphor" - that the body is a mechanical object and can be treated similarly to how an engineer fixes a malfunctioning item, "The technological imperative" - that health is restorable by technological interventions, "The reductionist theory" - that all diseases can be explained by the physical workings of the body, and lastly "The doctrine of specific aetiology" - that each is disease is caused by one recognisable factor. Today, this concept is being challenged however as society places a greater emphasis on the overall health of the individual. As we see issues such as suicide and mental health become increasingly prevalent in
The WHO definition of health indicates the requirement for "complete mental well-being". In contemporary society, suicide, particularly among youths is a growing issue. According to the WHO in 2005, Ireland had the fifth highest suicide rate in youths in Europe. There is a certain stigma surrounding suicide which prevents those in need from seeking help (WHO 2014). A strategy adopted in Ireland today to combat this stigmatism is the promotion of mental health awareness. The National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) believe that "the promotion of positive mental health strategies throughout our community is fundamental to suicide prevention". The NOSP are encouraging mental health services to engage with pupils at school level through the Social, Personal and Health Education Programme (SPHE) to raise awareness and target suicide prevention among