The Medical Model Of Disability - 1551 Words

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 the medical model, disability is defined as any restriction or lack of ability, resulting from an impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being (World Health Organization, 1980). The medical model views disability as the problem of the person that is caused by disease, trauma, or other health conditions which requires treatment by professionals who manage the disability by trying to find a cure or to make the disabled pe rson more â€Å"normal†. This typically doesn’t work because many disabled people are not necessarily sick or they cannot be improved by remedial medical treatment. The only solution left under this model is to work towards an effective cure by accepting the disability and providing the necessary care needed for the disabled individual to make adjustments to be as â€Å"normal† as they can be. Under the medical model, society is not seen as having any responsibility to accommodate people with disabilities. It is theShow MoreRelatedThe 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 have their merits, not one int erpretation is universally accepted. I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. At the intersection of the medicalRead 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 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 MoreThe Medical And Social Models Of Disability2264 Words   |  10 Pages What do you understand by the medical and social models of disability? Illustrate your answer with examples from your media portfolio. The social and medical model are separate elements which have a big impact on people’s life. Disability as a whole influences society because we start from a young age learning, which will effect the kind of person we are and the kind of person we become. The word ‘model’ helps define the disability and understand the concepts in which it is perceived by individualsRead More Social and Medical Disability Models Essay2243 Words   |  9 PagesI aim to provide the reader with an overview of two prominent models of disability: the medical model and the social model. More specifically, I intend to outline the differences between these models, especially their theory and practice. Firstly, I will note the definition of what a model of disability is and point to its relevance in disability studies. I will also briefly examine the origins of both the medical and social models, but mainly outlining the contributions of their respective theoreticalRead MoreMedical and Social Models of Disability Essay1857 Words   |  8 PagesIt could be said that in modern industrial society, Disability is still widely regarded as tragic individual failing, in which its â€Å"victims† require care, sympathy and medical diagnosis. Whilst medical science has served to improve and enhance the quality of life for many it could be argued that it has also led to further segregation and separation of many individuals. This could be caused by its insistence on labelling one as â€Å"sick†, â€Å"abnormal† or â€Å"mental†. Consequently, what this act of labellingRead MoreThe Medical Model : Where Disability Is Viewed As An Impairment952 Words   |  4 Pages the medical model, where disability is viewed as an impairment to be cured or prevented. This view may significantly inform the kind of service and treatment doctors provide or recommend for these individuals. In fact, researchers and doctors themselves have voiced concerns that medical practitioners do not undergo sufficient training to address disability and sexuality (Barbuto Napolitano, 2014; Gilmore Malcolm, 2014). Doctors need to be well informed about the issues in this area and supportiveRead More3.3 Explain the Social and Medical Models of Disability and the Impact of Each on Practice.998 Words   |  4 PagesSocial models and medical models of disability By labelling a child because of there disability can prevent us as seeing the child as a whole person like their gender, culture and social background the medical models is a traditional view of disability and that through medical intervention the person can be cured where in fact in most cases there is no cure. They expect disabled people to change to fit into society. The social model of disability looks at ways to address issues to enable peopleRead MoreModels of Disability941 Words   |  4 PagesModels 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, theRead MoreEvaluate Two Models of Disability in Terms of Explaining the Concept of Disability.1613 Words   |  7 PagesEvaluate two models of disability in terms of explaining the concept of disability. Medical model;-- Weaknesses;-- There are many weaknesses of the medical model. One of the weaknesses that I am going to talk about is that in some cases people see the medical model as an insult due to the fact that the model tries to ‘fix’ people with a disability instead of making adjustments and adaptions to environments, activities etc†¦ for them. Due to the fact that the medical model is trying to ‘fix’ tem, may