Final answer:
The medical model of health focuses on individual biological factors and treatment of disease, while the social model incorporates wider societal influences on health, including societal norms, and recognizes the interconnectedness of physical, mental, and social health.
Step-by-step explanation:
The contrast between the medical and social models of health is that the medical model emphasizes the role of biological and physiological factors in health and disease, focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases within individuals. It tends to exclude mental health, considering it a separate realm. The social model, on the other hand, considers health from a broader perspective, acknowledging how societal, economic, and environmental factors contribute to one's health status. This includes the role of mental health and disability, influenced by social norms, recognizing that societal issues such as inequality and stigma can have profound impacts on individual and community health outcomes.
In the United States, historically disadvantaged racial groups, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and genders often experience lower levels of healthcare access and quality. Mental health and disability are significantly impacted by these social factors. Understanding health requires an inclusive view that merges mental, physical, and social health variables as they are intricately interconnected. Theoretical frameworks like biomedicine often critique for their limited perspective, whereas holistic approaches which include other ethnomedical practices and acknowledge the complex interplay of sociocultural variables are now more widely recognized.