Distinguish among the illness, wellness, and Social Ecology models of health. How do the wellness and social ecological models expand our understanding of health? Suggest one hypothetical research question reflecting a wellness model and one reflecting a social ecological model.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The illness model focuses on looking at the physical body for answers to health questions. It ignores environmental, psychological, and social factors that may impact health. The wellness model considers the whole person and places importance on one's quality of life, relationships, and spirituality. The Social Ecology Model examines how people and their environment influence each other. Because the illness model is so narrow and focuses only on the physical body, the wellness model and Social Ecology Model expand our understanding of how factors outside of the physical body can impact health. For instance, they allow us to look at the potential contributions of mood, support systems, and a sense of purpose to health. Students will then propose a study using a wellness and Social Ecological approach. As an example, in a wellness model they might propose looking at how coping strategies impact the effects of stress on health. An example of a Social Ecological question might be how access to quality health care impacts birthweight and thriving in infants.