The document discusses and compares the bio-medical and socio-medical models of health. It provides details on each model, including their key aspects and strengths and weaknesses. It then asks the learner to apply the models to case studies of three individuals - Lucy, Arthur, and Collin - to evaluate how each model would approach their illnesses and what it may miss. The learner is also asked to link the appropriate sociological perspectives to each case and model to fully assess how the individual's needs are met from both health and social care perspectives.

1. Lesson objectives
• Recall the key principals of the two health models in sociology.
• Apply the sociological perspectives to the two health models.
• Assess the two models in relation to their strengths and their
weaknesses.
Aim: Effectively evaluate and assess the bio-
medical and socio-medical models of health.

3. Socio-medical Model of Health Bio-medical model of Health
Illness is not only located within the
person
Disease comes from outside the
body
To improve health we must also look
at the social and environmental
causes of illness within society.
Main purpose of health service is
curative – to get people back to
work.
Recap

4. Let’s begin by evaluating the two
models
What do I mean by:
Evaluate
Assess
Analyse
Giving reasons for what you think is good
and…
Giving reason for what you think is bad

5. • Doesn’t take the environment/ social factors
into account.
• Assumes that every illness has a specific
cause, and it is experienced in the same way in
all societies.
• Being healthy might mean different things to
people.
The bio-medical model of health

6. The bio-medical model of health
• It is easy to treat people with medication so they can get back to
work quickly.
• You can find out if an illness is genetic and treat it the right way.
• According to this model there is always a cure, so every illness can
be treated.

7. • Experts offer treatments that many patients do not
understand.
• Can determine any genetic causes of illness and therefore
prevent them in future generations. Examples?
The bio-medical model of health
Have a look at the points below. Why might they be good or bad?

8. • Funding to deal with specific issues e.g. poverty.
• Who is responsibility is it to tackle health inequalities?
• Really useful when treating with holistic therapies.
The socio-medical model of health

9. The socio-medical model of health
• Takes into consideration the different social classes of people - so
treatment can be tailored to what suits them.
• Takes the environment into account.

10. • Mental health issues are more recognised by this
model.
• Difficulty prioritising what issues need to be
addressed.
The socio-medical model of health
Have a look at the points below. Why might they be good or bad?

11. Lets assume you are working in the healthcare
profession, you might be a nurse or a midwife.

12. Lucy is a working mum with a 6
month old baby. She has recently
started to develop migraines.
Arthur has been living in the
UK for a year now. He has
always suffered from red
blotchy eyes and a mucus
cough.
Collin can work up to a 10 hour
shift some days sweeping, on the
weekends he works as a postman
to make ends meet. Hi cough has
been getting worse by day.
For each person write down:
• How one of the models of health might look at this persons illness. – chose
either the bio-medical or socio-medical model of health.
• What might then be the causes of their illness according to that model.
• By looking at their illness this way, what might we miss? (bring in your
evaluation points).

13. Apply the perspectives
A part of the assignment you have to show that you can link the
correct perspective/s to the model of health.
Whilst doing this you must also asses how much the needs of
the individual in health and social care are met.
You must consider how each one take into account any social or
environmental issues.

14. Lucy is a working mum with a 6
month old baby. She has recently
started to develop migraines.
Feminism and Socio-medical
model
Marxist feminist – women are oppressed by
the system and men, she must look after
the home, children and her man.
Pressures of society might bring on illness –
putting children, home and man before
themselves might make them more ill.

15. Feminism and Socio-medical model
This is a good way of looking at Lucy’s health
as work and family pressures are taken into
consideration.
Support such as holistic therapies i.e.
counselling might help to discover these
problems whereas drugs (bio-medical) might
have just covered them up.

16. Socio – medical model
Marxism
Arthur has been living in the
UK for a year now. He has
always suffered from red
blotchy eyes and a mucus
cough.
Marxism: There are fundamental inequalities and
different economic and political interests in
society. I.e. The divide between the bourgeoisie
and the proletariats.
Socio-medical: For someone coming from a
poor lower class background, who may be
experiencing unemployment etc., there are
greater inequalities.

17. Socio – medical model
Marxism
By using this approach we would recognise
that Arthur comes from a lower class
background.
Because of his age and not living in England
for a long time, he may be facing greater
inequities.
Arthurs problems may have
genetic underpinnings which
aren’t addressed by the
socio-medical model. (bio-
medical would have done
this).

18. Collin can work up to a 10 hour
shift some days sweeping, on the
weekends he works as a postman
to make ends meet. His cough has
been getting worse by day.
Bio – medical: Inness is regarded as being
dysfunctional for society.
Bio – medical model
Functionalism
Functionalism: Each part of society helps to keep it
going.
If people are ill they cannot make their normal
contribution to the smooth running society.

19. Main purpose of health service is
curative – to get people back to work, so
by providing him with quick and easy
medication Collin can get back to his
role in society.
This is beneficial for Collin as
it means that he can quickly
get back into work, however,
the environment of his
working conditions hasn’t bee
taken into account – Socio-
medical model would do this.
Bio – medical model
Functionalism

20. P2 – Explain
Concepts of health
Ill health
The sick role
The clinical iceberg
Models of health
Introduction
M1 – Asses bio-medical
model of health
M1– Asses socio-
medical model of health
Strengths when
considering health
and illness.
Strengths when
considering health
and illness.
Weaknesses when
considering health
and illness.
Weaknesses when
considering health and
illness.
Apply the
perspective
Apply the
perspective
M1 –
Compare the
two models
of health as
part of the
assessment
of each.
Consider how much
each model takes into
account
environmental issues
and social issues
How might all this
affect the needs of an
individual?
How might it affect
their health?