Outline the Biomedical Model of Health

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Outline the biomedical model of health The most well-known definition of health was put in context by the World Health Organization in New York, at 7 April 1948, where they adjudged, that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. (WHO, 1948) This positive approach acknowledges the concept of disease and suggests that health is not only a physical state, but also a wider sense of well-being, which is linked to our social surroundings. Over the past 30 years, they developed main three key models of health, such as the biomedical model, the social model and the ecological model of health. The biomedical model of health (pre-1970s) centered on how the human body functions, and how diseases can be stopped or healed through medical intervention. It focuses on risk behaviors, healthy lifestyles and individual responsibility. Also emphasizes health education and treat people in isolation of their environments. This model was perceived and defined in contemporary Western societies, and looks at the body as a machine, which need to be ‘fixed’ or repaired. The social model of health (from 1970s onwards) addresses the broader determinants of health, involves inter-sectorial collaboration, acts to reduce social inequalities, empowers individuals and communities and acts to enable access to health care. The ecological model of health (from late 1970s onwards) acknowledges the reciprocal relationship between health-related behaviors and the environments in which people live, work and play (behavior does not occur in a vacuum). Considers the environment is made up of different subsystems and emphasizes the relationships and dependencies between these subsystems. Finally the ecological model is comprehensive and multi-faceted, using a shared framework for change at individual and environmental

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