How do the biomedical and social models of health differ and why are both needed?
The biomedical and social models of health, the strengths and limitations of each, and the reasons for the shift from a biomedical to a social approach to health
VCE HHD Unit 3 AoS 2 comparing the biomedical and social models of health, their strengths and limitations, and why both are needed.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point asks you to define both models, explain their strengths and limitations, and justify why Australia uses both. You should be able to argue when each model is more appropriate and explain why public health shifted toward a social approach.
The biomedical model
The biomedical model of health is an approach that focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness. It is practised by doctors and health professionals and is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and cure of disease.
Strengths: it creates advances in technology and research, many conditions can be treated or cured, it extends life expectancy and improves quality of life, and it is effective in an acute or emergency situation.
Limitations: it can be costly, it relies on professionals and technology, not every condition can be treated, and it does not always promote good health and wellbeing or address the causes of illness.
The social model of health
The social model of health is an approach that recognises improvements in health and wellbeing are achieved by addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants of health. It is built on principles that:
- address the broader determinants of health
- act to reduce social inequities
- empower individuals and communities
- enable access to healthcare
- act to enable intersectoral collaboration.
Strengths: it promotes good health and reduces the cost of treatment, it focuses on vulnerable population groups, and it is responsible for health education and addressing root causes.
Limitations: not every condition can be prevented, it does not promote the development of technology and research, and some individuals may ignore health promotion messages.
A reliable way to learn the five social model principles is to attach a quick example to each: addressing the broader determinants (a campaign tackling income and housing as well as behaviour), reducing social inequities (targeting funding to low-income or remote groups), empowering individuals and communities (community-led programs in which locals set priorities), enabling access to healthcare (mobile clinics or bulk-billing in underserved areas), and intersectoral collaboration (health, education, transport and housing departments working together). When a stimulus describes an action, you can usually map it to one of these five principles, which is exactly what application questions reward.
Why the shift to a social approach
Over time the major causes of death and disease shifted from infectious diseases to chronic, lifestyle-related conditions that the biomedical model alone could not prevent. As sanitation, immunisation and antibiotics largely controlled infectious disease in the twentieth century, the leading killers became cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, which are strongly shaped by behaviour and the social and environmental conditions in which people live. Because treating these conditions one patient at a time is expensive and never reaches the underlying causes, public health turned toward prevention and the determinants of health. This shift is the origin of the "new public health" approach and the Ottawa Charter, both of which sit squarely within the social model.
When you evaluate the models, define each, give a strength and a limitation, and finish by explaining why both are required for the best health outcomes.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of VCAA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
2022 VCAA6 marksSuccesses in mortality over the twentieth century include that deaths from tuberculosis have been eliminated, and cancer deaths have recently shown signs of decline.
With reference to one success provided in the information above, analyse the relationship between the biomedical and social models of health in bringing about improvements in health status. (6 marks)
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Six marks: choose one success and analyse how both models worked together (roughly 3 marks per model, with a statement that they are complementary).
Choose the decline in cancer deaths. Social model (about 3 marks): the social model addresses the broader determinants and uses health promotion, for example anti-smoking campaigns, sun-protection education and screening programs that reduce risk factors and detect cancer earlier, lowering incidence and death rates. Biomedical model (about 3 marks): the biomedical model focuses on diagnosis and treatment, for example improved surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and new drugs that treat cancer once it occurs, improving survival.
Relationship: the two models are interrelated and complementary. The social model prevents disease and supports early detection, while the biomedical model treats those who develop cancer; together they have driven the fall in cancer mortality. Markers reward showing the models depend on each other rather than treating them in isolation.
2023 VCAA4 marksA graph shows death rates from cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases over the twentieth century. Describe one advantage and one limitation of the biomedical approach to achieving one of the improvements shown in the graph. (4 marks)
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Four marks: one advantage and one limitation of the biomedical approach, each described and linked to an improvement such as the fall in infectious disease deaths (2 marks each).
Advantage (about 2 marks): The biomedical approach creates technologies and treatments such as antibiotics and vaccines that directly cure or prevent disease, producing rapid, measurable falls in deaths from infectious diseases. It also extends life expectancy and improves quality of life for those already ill.
Limitation (about 2 marks): The biomedical approach is expensive and relies on costly technology and skilled professionals, so it is not always affordable or accessible. It also focuses on treating illness rather than addressing the underlying social and environmental causes, so it does not prevent disease from arising in the first place. Each point must be tied to a specific improvement in the graph.