In this essay I will aim to compare and contrast two case studies in terms of the visions and values of health they demonstrate. To do this I will look at the examples of the case studies we have looked at, these were of Brain and Samuel both have type 2 diabetes with similar age and their own set of life stresses. This will draw on the contrasts between the biomedical model and the social model within healthcare. The biomedical model is focused on the body, not the person. The Social model is focused on the person as a whole and letting the individual self-manage their condition.


When we look at both case studies provided, we start to see that both promote two different types
When Brian starts his consultation Dr Wise asks him a questions then quickly moves onto the results. He doesn't ask Brian why he thinks they are high or if there are any changes to his lifestyles. He then continues to tell Brian that he must eat properly and that based on research complications can occur for people with diabetes when having a high blood sugar level persists overtime. So we can see it is Biomedical as Dr Wise talks about research and results "A high value is put on using scientific methods of research and on scientific knowledge." (OU Book 1 Chapter 4 p.69) The biomedical model is an authoritative approach and bases the decisions of treatment on facts and not the opinions of it's patients as these do not bear any weight.

Samuels case studies shows all the evidence that he was being treated using the social model of health. He was treated as a whole, his social and psychosocial factors were taken into consideration. We see examples of this as he was educated and encouraged to work collectively with the doctor to help him get better. When Samuel walked into his consultation Dr Bright began by just listening, then gathering information about his move, his interests and support. Before the consultation Dr Bright gained background knowledge from a previous GP so he was starting to get a picture of the entire lifestyle. "The social model of health does not abandon wholesale the medical model but puts it into wider social and