Health Flashcards
(225 cards)
WHO definition of health
State of complete physical, mental and social well-being
-not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
-positive concept emphasising social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities
Biomedical model of health
Physical and biological factors of disease- can be repaired
Only health professionals practice it
Mind/body dualism (suggests that they can be treated separately)
Knowledge is objective -neutral and distinct from social factors
Biomedical model of health focus
Diagnosis, cure and treatment of disease- solutions found in technologies
Social model of health
Gives thought to a wide range of factors
Wide range of people can practice it
Challenges mind/body dualism
Knowledge is not objective - we are taught how to see the body
Social model of health focus
Prevention
Health as an ideal state
Goal of perfect well being
Disease, illness and forms of handicap, along with social problems must be absent in order for health to be present
Problems with theory that health is an ideal state
Is anyone ever healthy
What is complete well-being
Can we ever attain this ideal state
Misleading
Health as a state of social functioning
Health is a means towards social functioning
All forms of disease and social handicap need to be removed
Can still be healthy (function socially) even when suffering with a chronic illness/disease
Problems with theory that health as a state of social functioning
Very narrow definition seeing health as the opposite of disease
Patients normal state may be unhealthy
Refusal of treatment might be seen as healthy
Health as a personal strength or ability
Approaches are typically humanist- focus in how people respond to challenges
Health is a means to a greater end- responding positively to problems
Attempts to recover holistic ideas about health
Problems with theory that health is a personal strength or ability
Vague
How can we intervene
Illness definition
The social, lived experience of symptoms and suffering
Disease definition
Technical malfunction or deviation from the normal which is scientifically diagnosed
Theories of illness/disease: Culver and gert
Aggregate of condition, judged by a culture, deemed painful or disabling, and which deviate from statistical norm or some idealised status
Theories of illness/disease: culver and gert
Problems
Mixes disease and illness- you can have pathology with feeling ill
Theories of illness/disease: William white
State of the organism, which is currently losing a battle with temperature, water, micro-organisms, disappointment etc (disruption of homeostasis)
Visualised as the reaction to an energy impact (addition or deprivation)
Theories of illness/disease: Peery and miller
Disturbance of the structure or function of the body
Imbalance between the individual and his environment
A lack of perfect health
Theories of illness/disease: the biomedical model
More disease= poorer health
Problems can be resolved by remedies- therefore health is something that exists outside of the person
Definition was used to inspire governments to invest in health services
Biomedical model problems
Risk of mysticism- regain something we’ve lost Asa result of person or social failing
Not all problems can be solved with a remedy
Suggests solution is either the medical practitioner not the individual
Structural determinants of health
Genetic
Constitutional (age/sex)
Culture
Lifestyle
Social/community network
Living and working conditions
Lifestyle factors promoting mortality
Obesity
Smoking
Sedentary lifestyle
Excessive alcohol
Poor diet
Health belief model
Influences on changing behaviours:
Perceived susceptibility
Perceived barriers
Benefits
Self-efficacy
Health behaviour
Aimed to prevent disease
Illness behaviour
Aimed to seek remedy