Transcript Slide 1

Models of health and health
promotion
The language of health: some key
words
• Diagnosis: identification of a disease or illness
through medical observation of signs and
symptoms, the patient’s history and tests
• Intervention: any action to improve health or
cure illness including the use of medication,
hospitalisation or surgery
• Prevention: any action to reduce or eliminate
the onset, causes, complications or recurrence
of disease or illness
What is a health model?
• Models of health are ‘conceptual frameworks’
or ways of thinking about health
• Three such models are:
– The Biomedical Model of Health
– The Social Model of Health
– The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
The biomedical model of health
Key principles of this model:
• Focuses on ‘ill health’
• Healthcare is a response to a ‘breakdown’ of
the body
• The absence of disease is synonymous with
health
• Each disease has a specific cause that acts
upon the body
More key principles of this model:
• Body is seen in isolation from social and
environmental factors
• This approach includes the use of medical
technologies, pathology, laboratory testing,
medication, surgery and hospitalisation
The social model of health
Key principles of this model:
• Addresses the social and environmental
determinants of health, not just the
biomedical
• Differences in health status are linked to
gender, culture, race and ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, working conditions,
unemployment, housing end environment
More key principles of this model:
• Health is not just the responsibility of the
health sector – change requires collaboration
• Aims to reduce inequality
• Empowers individuals and communities to act
for themselves
• All people have the basic right to access
affordable health care
The Ottawa Charter for Health
Promotion
Key principles of this model:
• Eight key prerequisites for health
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Peace
Shelter
Education
Food
Income
Stable ecosystem
Sustainable resources
Social justice and equity
More key principles of this model:
• The Charter identifies 3 basic strategies for
health promotion
– Advocate
– Enable
– Mediate
More key principles of this model:
• The Charter identifies 5 key action areas
– Build healthy public policy
– Create supportive environments
– Strengthen community action
– Develop personal skills
– Reorient health service