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HSC 3720 Exam 1 Questions and Verified
Answers
Q: what is the leading cause of death in the United States?
ANS: heart disease and cancers, which are currently the leading causes of death in
industrialized societies
Q:
Chronic diseases and their impact on the United States
ANS: 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.
Q:
Biomedical Model
ANS: 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
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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
Q:
Sociological Model of Health
ANS: 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
Q:
Psychological Model of health
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ANS: 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.
Q:
Reductionism
ANS: Reductionism
the doctrine that the phenomena of health and illness are best understood at the
level of physics and chemistry, or biochemical characteristics
Q:
Biopsychosocial model
ANS: 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.
HSC 3720 Exam 1 Questions and Verified
Answers
Q: what is the leading cause of death in the United States?
ANS: heart disease and cancers, which are currently the leading causes of death in
industrialized societies
Q:
Chronic diseases and their impact on the United States
ANS: 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.
Q:
Biomedical Model
ANS: 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
, Page | 2
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
Q:
Sociological Model of Health
ANS: 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
Q:
Psychological Model of health
, Page | 3
ANS: 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.
Q:
Reductionism
ANS: Reductionism
the doctrine that the phenomena of health and illness are best understood at the
level of physics and chemistry, or biochemical characteristics
Q:
Biopsychosocial model
ANS: 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.
