Public Health Assignment: Healthcare Models, Practices, and Theories

This assignment delves into the evolution of public health, tracing the shifts in philosophical, theoretical, and practical models over the last 200 years. It discusses the impact of diseases like tuberculosis and cholera, and the role of philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. The assignment further explores the 'Benner's Professional Advancement Model' and the significance of the germ theory by Louis Pasteur. It explains the social-ecological model (SEM) and its five hierarchical levels, highlighting its role in understanding the interplay between individuals and their environment for health promotion. The assignment also differentiates between practice-based approaches, supported by Benner’s model, and evidence-based approaches, exemplified by Duffy’s Quality-Caring Model, and their impact on healthcare practices.

Running Head: HEALTHCARE
Public Health
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HEALTHCARE
Answer 1
The public health over the last 200 years has changed in terms of philosophical,
theoretical and practice models. People living at that age suffered more from diseases like
tuberculosis, cholera and other deadly disease which caused more frequent deaths. More
deaths occurred due to lack of knowledge in the disease and medical treatment. Until 17th
century, many philosophers like Plato and Aristotle deeply influenced medical thinking. It
was thought that disease occur because of superstition and god. However in the 20th century
the western medicine has lost its philosophical background (Rosen, 2015). The theoretical
and practice model include discovery of germ theory by Louis Pasteur and ‘Benner's
Professional Advancement Model’ respectively. The identification of bacterial and virus
through laboratory assessments helped in developing immunization, purification of water
improves public health in recent times (Rosen, 2015).
Answer 2
The social-ecological model (SEM) helps in understanding the factors which are
affecting behavior between individual and environment as well as helps in developing
programs through social system for health promotion and organization. This helps in
identifying the social norms and incorporating them into program planning, partnerships and
capacity strength. SEM include five hierarchical levels, individual, interpersonal,
community, organizational and policy/enabling environment. SEM gathers information about
behavior and attitude from individual, helps in maintaining interpersonal relationships,
relationships between communities, organizational institutions and laws regarding healthcare
in nation (Davidson et al., 2018).

2HEALTHCARE
Answer 3
Practice based approach refers to the knowledge in healthcare acquired due to
practicing over a long time. This includes clinical expertise, medical record data and national
standards of care. Practice based approach is supported by ‘Benner’s Professional
Advancement Model’ because it suggest that nurse develop skills through multitude of
experience (Patterson, 2019). On the other hand evidence based approach refers to the
knowledge acquired due to information present in research and not practicing over a long
period of time. The ‘Duffy’s Quality-Caring Model’ demonstrate gathering of evidence in
caregiving to influence positive outcomes to patients. This is an example of evidence based
model (Duffy, 2018).

3HEALTHCARE
References
Davidson, P., Rushton, C. H., Kurtz, M., Wise, B., Jackson, D., Beaman, A., & Broome, M.
(2018). A social–ecological framework: A model for addressing ethical practice in
nursing. Journal of clinical nursing, 27(5-6), e1233-e1241.
Duffy, J. R. (2018). Quality caring in nursing and health systems: Implications for clinicians,
educators, and leaders. Springer Publishing Company.
Patterson, R. J. (2019). Domains of nursing practice: application of Benner's model (Doctoral
dissertation).
Rosen, G. (2015). A history of public health. JHU Press.