Models of Disability - 941 Words

Models of Disability Disability is a human reality that has been perceived differently by diverse cultures and historical periods. For most of the 20th century, disability was defined according to a medical model. In the medical model, disability is assumed to be a way to characterize a particular set of largely static, functional limitations. This led to stereotyping and defining people by condition or limitations. World Health Organization (WHO) – New definition of Disability In 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) established a new definition of disability, declaring it an umbrella term with several components: * impairments: a problem in body function or structure * activity limitations: a difficulty encountered by a†¦show more content†¦The Medical Model Under the Medical Model, disabled people are defined by their illness or medical condition. The Medical Model regards disability as an individual problem. It promotes the view of a disabled person as dependent and needing to be cured or cared for, and justifies the way in which disabled people have been systematically excluded from society. The disabled person is the problem, not society. Control resides firmly with professionals; choices for the individual are limited to the options provided and approved by the helping expert. The Medical Model is best summarised by referring to the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps developed by the World Health Organisation in 1980. The classification makes the following distinctions: Impairment is ‘any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function’. Disability is ‘any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being’. Diagram of Medical Model The Medical Model focuses on what a person can’t do: Impairment | Disability | A wheelchair user | cannot climb the stairs or walk to the shops | A partially sighted person | cannot readShow MoreRelatedThe Medical Model Of Disability1551 Words   |  7 Pages The medical model of disability has done a great disservice to people with disabilities in American society. It has helped shape and continues to perpetuate a belief system that people with disabilities are weak, dependent, and incapable of performing like â€Å"normal† people. This paper examines how the medical model influences society’s perceptions of disability through the use of language and the media which cause people with disabilities to be marginalized and experience inequalities. Under theRead MoreThe Medical Model Of Disability1533 Words   |  7 PagesThe medical model focuses more on the problem and not the person, so the problem would be things such as the disabilities and impairments rather than the needs of the person. The medical model thinks the way to solve the disability would be through things such as surgery, physio etc. If people who follow the medical model think that that a medical cure is not possible then they could exclude someone with a disability from a normal day to day activities or they could be shut way from society in aRead MoreThe Medical Model Of Disability952 Words   |  4 PagesDisability means something entirely different depending on the people you ask. Ask a person who does not have a disability and they may give you a view that is based on the medical model of disability. Ask a person that is disabled and they may give you a view that is based on the social model of disability. While both views of what disability means hav e their merits, not one interpretation is universally accepted. I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. At the intersection of the medicalRead MoreThe Various Models Of Disability Essay1499 Words   |  6 Pagesreview the literature on the various models of disability and apply these to describe the challenges that a young girl, Susan is likely to encounter in South Africa. Susan was born with Spina Bifida and is wheelchair bound. Secondly I will aim to link these applications to my thoughts, feelings and behaviors on disability as well as the impact therof in terms of my development as an integrated health professional. The literature applied to the scenario Disability can be defined in various ways, dependingRead MoreSocial Model of Disability1716 Words   |  7 Pagestreatment and delivery and the differences between the social and medical model will address how the individual is treated in relation to health care. Key issues surrounding a work place or educational environment and generally the discrimination they face from different aspects within society will be discussed from a critical perspective. The introduction of relevant government legislation, in particular the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the new Act in 2005 will show what measures haveRead MoreLabelling And Models Of Disability3697 Words   |  15 Pagesservice user with a disability, the belief system is likely to influence how you view the person. The individual can be perceived as a cheat of the system or as a victim of structural oppression in the society. There are issues when it comes to defining disability however this essay will focus on two important aspect labelling and models of disability. Labelling disability has been within the practice of schools and medical institutions for years. In the past people with disability have been describedRead MoreThe Issue Of Models On Disability2886 Words   |  12 PagesThe key aspect discussed on the concerns about models on disability, which shows that there has been a interest on the promotion of inclusion through sport ( Thomas and smith, 2009). It is stated that inclusive sport not only benefits physical, health, psychological and cognitive factors but also offers a variety of other benefits. These additional benefits consists of opportunities to develop friendships with peers with or without disabilities, opportunities to develop social skills in order toRead MoreThe Social Model Of Disability1795 Words   |  8 Pagesdemonstrates the â€Å"Disability drift and the disability hierar chy† myth, it effectively shows how people with disabilities can live their lives the same way as able bodied people and have the same opportunities to achieve their goals. The writers accomplish this by focusing heavily on the social model of disability, which highlights the idea that â€Å"disability is caused by the way society is organized, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference† (Scope par. 1). Viewing disabilities from this perspectiveRead MoreSocial Medical Model Disability1203 Words   |  5 PagesThe social and medical model of disability There are a number of ‘models’ of disability which have been defined over the last few years. The two most frequently mentioned are the ‘social’ and the ‘medical’ models of disability. The medical model of disability views disability as a ‘problem’ that belongs to the disabled individual. It is not seen as an issue to concern anyone other than the individual affected. For example, if a wheelchair using student is unable to get into a building becauseRead MoreContrasting models of disability Essay913 Words   |  4 PagesI feel reflect some of the contrasting models of disability which we have looked at in Units 1-4 of the course materials (E214, The Open University, 2010). The first resource comes from the National Autistic Society’s website and the second comes from the national newspaper The Guardian. The first resource (Appendix A) is an information page entitled ‘What is Asperger Syndrome’ and particularly focusses on the medical/deficit model of disability, a model which involves identifying symptoms, diagnosing