Health and Social Care Issues: Social Model vs Medical Model
Please explore what is meant by the terms social model and medical model. Describe an aspect of sociological theory and explore how it impacts and influences the delivery of Health and Social Care.
In this essay, the terms social model and medical model will be explored. Then, aspects of sociological theory and how it influences the delivery of health and social care will be explored
Health is difficult to define but fairly easy to spot when we actually see it. According to the World Health Organisation:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (World Health Organisation, 2011)
There are two main models of health which reflect very different perspectives. These models are known as Social Model of Health and the Medical Model of Health.
In the medical model of health, the main attention focused on individual physical functioning and defines bad health and illness as the presence of disease. This model is dominated by views and opinions of genetically determined disease and biological status. The medical model views the body similarity to a machine, in which case, if the body was to ‘break down’ a doctor would take role as a mechanic and attempt to ‘fix’ body (Ken Browne, 2002) Unlike the social model, the medical model of health does not take into account social attributes which can also have an effect on health and illness.
The social model of health tends to focus on sociological factors linking to illness such as poverty, poor housing and unemployment. For instance, the impact that poverty and social class has on illness and health are reflected in life expectancy figures (UK National Statistics, 2009) Although life expectance in the UK has risen, there is still a significant gap in life expectancy between the middle class and the working class ( Office for National Statistics, 2011) Research with such results has been a controversial sociological topic for a
In this essay, the terms social model and medical model will be explored. Then, aspects of sociological theory and how it influences the delivery of health and social care will be explored
Health is difficult to define but fairly easy to spot when we actually see it. According to the World Health Organisation:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (World Health Organisation, 2011)
There are two main models of health which reflect very different perspectives. These models are known as Social Model of Health and the Medical Model of Health.
In the medical model of health, the main attention focused on individual physical functioning and defines bad health and illness as the presence of disease. This model is dominated by views and opinions of genetically determined disease and biological status. The medical model views the body similarity to a machine, in which case, if the body was to ‘break down’ a doctor would take role as a mechanic and attempt to ‘fix’ body (Ken Browne, 2002) Unlike the social model, the medical model of health does not take into account social attributes which can also have an effect on health and illness.
The social model of health tends to focus on sociological factors linking to illness such as poverty, poor housing and unemployment. For instance, the impact that poverty and social class has on illness and health are reflected in life expectancy figures (UK National Statistics, 2009) Although life expectance in the UK has risen, there is still a significant gap in life expectancy between the middle class and the working class ( Office for National Statistics, 2011) Research with such results has been a controversial sociological topic for a
References: BBC. (2011). Life expectancy rises again, ONS says. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/business-15372869. Last accessed 11th December 2011 Ken Browne (2002) UK National Statistics. (2009). Topic guide to: Life Expectancies. Available: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/population/deaths/life-expectancies. Last accessed 11th December 2011 World Health Organisation