Social Model Of Health - POPLHLTH102

Running head: SOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH
Social model of health
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SOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH
1. In the past 150 years, the average life expectancy has increased globally in developed and
developing countries. There is gradual gain in the life expectancy among the developed
countries like European countries, Australia, North America, New Zealand and Japan. On
the other hand, there is a huge life expectancy gap seen in the developing countries with
high adult and child mortality rates like in Eastern Mediterranean region, Asia and Latin
America. This gap has led to a change in the mortality and morbidity rates since 1950s
and shifted to a high mortality in the developing countries. Among the developed
countries, there is increase in life expectancy due to rapid decline in mortality rates
(Jones, Podolsky, & Greene, 2012).
The maternal mortality rates (MMR) and infant death rates has declined due to
preventive measures taken by the developed countries in proper immunization during
early age and efficient maternity care. There is also a shift in the trends of housing,
education, sanitation, growing incomes and efficient public health measures. The better
access to these facilities has contributed to the epidemiological transition, as there is
proper immunization and vaccine against infectious diseases. A gradual shift of mortality
and morbidity rates started 100 to 150 years ago in developed countries that took rapidly
and more quickly. There are gradual improvements made in the healthcare system to
provide the best quality of care to the population and improvements in life expectancy
causing death rate reduction among the adults. The maximum death (60%) in developed
countries occurs above the age of 70 years whereas it is only 30% in developing
countries. This statistics shows that there is a gradual shift in the death patterns between
developed and developing countries as the latter experience maximum deaths at younger

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SOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH
adult ages. However, it is only 20% in rich countries as compared to developing countries
(WorldHealthOrganization., 2013).
There is extreme diversity in the health conditions, as developing countries
comprise of heterogeneous population in terms of mortality. The mortality statistics in
the developing countries underestimate the morbidity rates. For example, the burden due
to non-communicable diseases in adults like visual impairment, depression and most
importantly, burden of chronic diseases. Child focus is also a reason for health promotion
in developing and developed countries. The rate of global deaths is under the age of 15
years indicating that there are prevailing challenges for child health. In richer countries,
there is perception to focus greatly on the adult health as it is the productive age group
and makes up the country’s maximum workforce; however, premature child death has
also significantly reduced. There is demographic surveillance, high income financing
systems, health insurance coverage and high quality health system with better technology
in developed countries that led to a gradual decline in morality and morbidity rates. On
the other hand, there is burden of disease among the low-income countries like
pneumonia, diarrhoea, heart disease, AIDS and stroke. On a contrary, developed
countries topped the list by heart disease, stroke, followed by lung cancer, pneumonia,
asthma and bronchitis. This shows that high-income countries morbidity rates are due to
sedentary life style related disorders (Dahlgren & Whitehead, 1991).
2. Today, the Biomedical Model is the most dominant model of disease that deals with
molecular biology and scientific discipline. It believes that deviation from the somatic
(biological) variables causes disease and does not acknowledge the psychological, social