HSC 3720 Exam 1 with Detailed Answers 2025

what is the leading cause of death in the United States? - Correct answer-heart disease and cancers, which are currently the leading causes of death in industrialized societies Chronic diseases and their impact on the United States - Correct answer-Far less progress has been made against chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancers, which are currently the leading causes of death in industrialized societies. Under the biomedical model, a heart attack is seen as arterial blockage, tissue damage, and pain. How the person reacts to these physical events as well as what behavior might have contributed to the condition are generally not considered. Biomedical Model - Correct answer-The Biomedical Model essentially separates the mind and body, know as mind-body dualism. It also propagates the idea of Reductionism, the doctrine that the phenomena of health and illness are best understood at the level of physics and chemistry, or biochemical characteristics. This approach has been useful, especially in the early twentieth century. Many acute diseases have been eradicated or controlled by studying these diseases from a biomedical perspective (e.g., smallpox, tuberculosis, influenza, pneumonia). Criticisms of the Biomedical Model: Individuals have different reactions to symptoms and may report the symptoms differently. Psychological, social, and cultural factors may influence how symptoms of a disease are experienced and reported, and how they affect the person. Biomedical indicators cannot account for these factors. Diagnosis and an appropriate treatment plans depend on the input of the patient. The input of the patient's significant others may also be critical to a complete diagnosis and treatment plan. Humans are not merely biological beings. Their state of health is affected by more than biological functioning. Humans are also psychological and social creatures, and all three aspects affect the state of health. The biomedical approach ignores the influence of life situations on the person's health. The timing of a disease is often related to life changes and/or changes in social support. Psychological and social factors may also be critical for determining when the person comes to view himself or herself as ill. The biomedical model is also not capable of explaining why people do or do not seek help, and the timing of the decision. The biomedical model also fails to account for the person's return to health after being ill. We normally think of a person as being cured when the physiological abnor Sociological Model of Health - Correct answer-The Sociological Model of Health The sociological approach to health emphasizes the social and cultural aspects of health and illness. It focuses on the individual's capacity to perform roles and tasks. The model acknowledges that there are social differences among individuals in the way they define health. The individual's own definition is given centrality rather than the physician's. Health relates to the ability to comply with social norms and to perform the roles and tasks for which an individual has been socialized. There is no assumption that disease can be objectified. The focus is much broader and more socially relevant than physical malfunction. The definition is stated in positive terms as opposed to the absence of physiological malfunction. It includes all the dimensions of individuals that impact on social participation. Thus, health is defined more by social criteria than physical criteria. What may be considered a positive state of health for one person may be considered as unhealthy by another. The perception of health is relative to one's culture and one's position in the social culture, and is influenced by social criteria. Personal definitions of health may vary by age, gender, and perceived level of health. For example: Younger men conceptualize health in terms of physical strength and fitness. Young women focus on energy, vitality, and ability to cope. Older men and women consider health in terms of functioning and state of contentment and happiness. Women of all ages are more likely to include social relationships in their definition of health. These models are not without their critics. Much of the criticism revolves around the abstract nature of their definitions of health. Critics contend that they are so abstract that health status can not be measured. Put another way, these models rely too he Psychological Model of health - Correct answer-The Psychological Model of Health The primary premise of the psychological model of health is that individuals constantly make subjective evaluations of the own health. Among the subjective evaluations made are: Is a general feeling of well being present or absent? Is there a sense of pleasurable involvement? Pleasurable involvement is viewed as a good feeling associated with personal accomplishments, receiving compliments, and being involved in interesting daily activities. Is long-term satisfaction present? This longer lasting sense of happiness is associated with positive personal, family, and work situations. Is there a presence or absence of negative affect? Negative affect includes unhappiness, loneliness, and criticism from others. Under the Psychological Model of health, positive and negative processes are distinct psychologically and are not strongly correlated. Being happy involves more that not being sad, and being healthy involves more than not being ill. There must be some positive aspects in an individual's life, not just an absence of negative factors. There should be a general feeling of well being, a sense of pleasurable involvement in life, long-term satisfaction with personal, family, and work situations, and an absence of a negative affect. This is clearly in conflict with the Biomedical Model. Reductionism - Correct answer-Reductionism the doctrine that the phenomena of health and illness are best understood at the level of physics and chemistry, or biochemical characteristics Biopsychosocial model - Correct answer-The biopsychosocial model is an interdisciplinary model that looks at the interconnection between biology, psychology, and socio-environmental factors. The model specifically examines how these aspects play a role in topics ranging from health and disease models to human development. WHO definition of health - Correct answer-THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S VIEW ON HEALTH STATUS The World Health Organization (WHO) has challenged the biomedical model of health for many years. Because the WHO is an international organization, many views and varying health traditions influence their model of health. Their model of health includes the involvement of all individuals and communities. While health professionals are viewed as being very important, they are only part of the team. The WHO model of health also includes factors such as economic development and social involvement as important in promoting and maintaining the health of the world's population. Review the web sight of the World Health Organization for more information on their policies, programs, and their definition of health. The link below is to a section of their web site: "About WHO". You may also access the WHO home page from this site. Healthy People - Correct answer-HEALTHY PEOPLE: AGENDA FOR THE NATION The United States government has also pushed to change the orientation towards health status in this country. Traditionally, the Biomedical Model of health has prevailed in this country. However, as the country has developed its health needs have changed. An agenda for the nation was developed and titled "Healthy People". Healthy People 2020 is the most recent version of the agenda to address the health concerns of the nation and follows Healthy People 2000 and 2010. Healthy People 2000 developed in 1990, was especially concerned with the widening gap between "haves" and "have-nots" in this country. A second major concern was that among industrialized nations, our health status was slipping. The U.S ranked 24th in infant mortality and Americans had a life expectancy that was relatively low. Three general goals were developed to address these concerns: Decrease the number of preventable deaths and disability cases Increase the quality of life Decrease the disparity in the health status of various populations within our society Economic considerations also played a part in the development of the Healthy People agenda. The nation is burdened by the cost of preventable illness, injury, and disability. In 1990, greater than 12% of the gross national product went to medical services. This was up from 5% in the 1960's, and if the cost of lost economic productivity was added, the total cost of preventable illness was greater than 18% of GNP. Examples of the costs of preventable illnesses are listed below: Injury $100 billion annually (quadriplegic $570,000 per case) Cancer $70 billion (lung cancer $29,000 per case) CAD $135 billion (CABG 30,000 x 300,000 per year) AIDS $75,000 per case Liver transplant $250,000 per case Healthy People 2000 attempted to switch the emphasis from t The different aspects in the holistic model of health - Correct answer-The Holistic approach to health considers the whole person: Body, Mind, and Spirit, and the interaction of these elements combined with social influences. Human health is considered to be an entity or system made up of five interrelated aspects. The five aspects are: Emotional Mental Social Spiritual Physical Changes in one aspect can lead to changes in other aspects (positive or negative). For example, physical well-being affects emotional and mental states. Approaching a high degree of wellness in one area is likely to affect other areas. Holistic health places an emphasis on individual responsibility and active participation in achieving and maintaining good health. Under this model, we are primarily responsible for maintaining our own health. While we have no control over our genetic makeup and little control over our social and environmental settings early in life, these uncontrollable aspects are minor compared to the impact our attitudes and behaviors have on our own health. Health care professionals must encourage disease prevention. This has a greater and more enduring impact on overall health than disease treatment alone. In this module, we will examine the Emotional and Mental aspects of holistic health. Emotional health - Correct answer-THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF HEALTH The Emotional aspect is somewhat difficult to describe. Individuals with good emotional health are generally considered to have positive attitudes and effective coping skills. They also learn to share feelings in a positive way. These factors influence an individual's self-esteem. Emotionally healthy people have a high self-esteem. A person with a high self-esteem has confidence, a sense of positive self-regard, and belief in self. Self-esteem guides what a person thinks he or she can do. Individuals who report a high self-esteem tend to have fewer illnesses and recover from illness quicker than those with low self-esteem. How we handle the successes and failures in life effects our emotional health. Our behavior demonstrates how we cope with life's situations, and our behavior is considered normal if it conforms to the accepted societal standards. In this way, how our behavior is interpreted by society effects our emotional health. Abnormal behavior negatively effects an individual's emotional and mental health perception, and reinforces the belief "I am not normal". Relationships with others also effect our emotional health: First with family, and later with friends. No one enjoys perfect emotional health all the time. Emotional health changes often, even many times per day. How we deal with those changes is important. Defining and or measuring emotional health might include the following checklist: Copes with stresses of daily living Demonstrates flexibility in social situations Worthwhile member of society