Patterns in health continue to change along with the factors that affect one’s health. In most developed countries there are significant health differences which exist between socio-economic groups. The gap between rich and poor continues to produce low levels of social cohesion and create barriers which affect health outcomes. Cigarette smoking continues to be an issue as it causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers. This assignment will be comparing the biomedical model to social models of health which will be applied in relation to trends in smoking-related conditions.
Patterns and views of health and illness have changed as they encompass experiences and events which reach beyond the individual level. In the past, living …show more content…
It is a medical model of care exercised by doctors and health professionals, associated with the diagnosis and treatment of disease (Borrel-Carrio, 2004). While the biomedical model is generally easy to understand as it relies primarily on objective and measurable observation (Borrel-Carrio, 2004), it ignores the fact that there are various influences that affect the health of individuals. Thus, the biomedical model has a narrow view of health, focusing on proximal causes and treatment rather than prevention of disease (Engel, 1977). The biomedical model also relies on health professionals and technology that is costly. Such disadvantages are important factors which contribute to the differences experienced in health …show more content…
Within the Dahlgren and Whitehead model, culture influences smoking as it helps to condition individuals to what is normative. Youth living in deprived areas are more likely to smoke, with Maori youth being twice as likely (Ministry of Health, 2010). Maori non-smokers are also more likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke at home, contributing to the increased risk of death by disease (Ministry of Health, 2010). The economic environment of a developed country influences health patterns. Within New-Zealand, the uneven distribution of wealth impacts health status among low socio-economic groups (Hanlon, 2013; Marmot & Wilkinson, 2006). The Dahlgren and Whitehead model offers a framework which can be used to address the multidimensional factors affecting and producing trends seen between groups in
Patterns and views of health and illness have changed as they encompass experiences and events which reach beyond the individual level. In the past, living …show more content…
It is a medical model of care exercised by doctors and health professionals, associated with the diagnosis and treatment of disease (Borrel-Carrio, 2004). While the biomedical model is generally easy to understand as it relies primarily on objective and measurable observation (Borrel-Carrio, 2004), it ignores the fact that there are various influences that affect the health of individuals. Thus, the biomedical model has a narrow view of health, focusing on proximal causes and treatment rather than prevention of disease (Engel, 1977). The biomedical model also relies on health professionals and technology that is costly. Such disadvantages are important factors which contribute to the differences experienced in health …show more content…
Within the Dahlgren and Whitehead model, culture influences smoking as it helps to condition individuals to what is normative. Youth living in deprived areas are more likely to smoke, with Maori youth being twice as likely (Ministry of Health, 2010). Maori non-smokers are also more likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke at home, contributing to the increased risk of death by disease (Ministry of Health, 2010). The economic environment of a developed country influences health patterns. Within New-Zealand, the uneven distribution of wealth impacts health status among low socio-economic groups (Hanlon, 2013; Marmot & Wilkinson, 2006). The Dahlgren and Whitehead model offers a framework which can be used to address the multidimensional factors affecting and producing trends seen between groups in