Behavioural Model Of Disease

Globally, chronic disease has become endemic, finding its way into new bodies daily. As the biomedical field lags in finding cures for many of these diseases, behavioural and lifestyle approaches to health become increasingly common. The principle that a proper diet, exercise, and mindfulness are key to survivorship for the incurably ill has become pervasive within healthcare discourses. This essay examines the global organization Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, and their adoption of a behavioural approach of understanding disease as an organizational framework. I argue that this places the burden of mitigating disease exclusively on the individual, resulting in the “responsibilization” of health. This ignores the structural forces that make …show more content…
In this sense, disease is seen as an entity within the body, “with health status as a reflection of personal behaviour” (Foley 2007:65). Models of disease that focus on lifestyle changes “depart from biomedical notions of being cured… and focus instead on wellbeing” (Bell 2006:357). In the face of chronic disease, the behavioural change model is seen as a way to reclaim control of one’s life (Markovic 2005:210) (Bell 2006:360). Whitmarsh (2008:303) argues that “the chronic disease locus of intervention” is currently shifting to the behavioural model, where the ill are expected to “eat and drink differently… and become more physically fit.” Clearly, the model employed by OMS is in line with this thinking, as its organizational framework is to promote individual diet and lifestyle …show more content…
In their encouragement of embracing a new lifestyle via cookbooks, exercises and meditation tips, OMS establishes itself as providing the tools to “empower” individuals to adopt self-care routines (Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis: Our Mission). Yet, in “empowering” individuals, OMS is merely shifting the burden of managing disease onto the individual, creating a collection of likeminded “Henriette’s.” Similarly, as Whitmarsh (2013:313-314) discusses, promoting and emphasizing empowerment produces a subject with a new found obligation to “know and care” for oneself. Gibson et al also argue that “empowerment” vis-a-vis encouraging lifestyle changes merely positions cancer patients as now knowledgeable of the “correct” ways to behave, thus responsible for adhering to these new correct health regimens (2015:133). Thus, in educating and empowering the individual to modify their lifestyle, OMS identifies the behaviours (diet and exercise) and state of mind (peaceful through meditation, motivated and educated) that is required of the participant. This places the burden wholly on the