Which statement best describes how the social model differs from the biomedical model in explaining health outcomes?

Which statement best describes how the social model differs from the biomedical model in explaining health outcomes?

• A. It emphasizes social determinants and how society organizes care.
• B. It locates health in biological factors and disease.
• C. It rejects any role for biology.
• D. It focuses only on individual behavior.

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that health outcomes are shaped by social factors and the way care is organized, not just by biology. The social model foregrounds social determinants—things like income, education, housing, neighborhood conditions, employment, discrimination, and access to resources—and explains how these factors influence exposure to risks, health behaviors, and access to quality care. It also looks at how policies, healthcare systems, and cultural norms create advantages or disadvantages that affect health across different groups. This broader view helps explain why people with similar biological risk can have very different health outcomes due to their social context. The biomedical model, in contrast, locates health mainly in biological factors and disease processes, focusing on pathology and treatment of the body. It doesn’t inherently account for how social context shapes risk or access to care. So the statement that best describes the difference is that the social model emphasizes social determinants and how society organizes care, without denying that biology plays a role or that individual behavior can matter.

The main idea being tested is that health outcomes are shaped by social factors and the way care is organized, not just by biology. The social model foregrounds social determinants—things like income, education, housing, neighborhood conditions, employment, discrimination, and access to resources—and explains how these factors influence exposure to risks, health behaviors, and access to quality care. It also looks at how policies, healthcare systems, and cultural norms create advantages or disadvantages that affect health across different groups. This broader view helps explain why people with similar biological risk can have very different health outcomes due to their social context. The biomedical model, in contrast, locates health mainly in biological factors and disease processes, focusing on pathology and treatment of the body. It doesn’t inherently account for how social context shapes risk or access to care. So the statement that best describes the difference is that the social model emphasizes social determinants and how society organizes care, without denying that biology plays a role or that individual behavior can matter.