Final answer:
The Medical Model of Disability states that disability resides within the individual, requiring medical treatment. This contrasts with the Social Model of Disability, which focuses on societal barriers that disable individuals. Economic factors and job types also contribute to disability patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Medical Model of Disability posits that disability is an attribute of the individual, caused by disease, trauma, or other health conditions which therefore require medical care provided in the form of individual treatment by professionals. In contrast, the Social Model of Disability sees disability as a socially created problem and not an attribute of an individual, focusing on the social environments and barriers which make life difficult for people with disabilities. Regarding the high unemployment rate among people with disabilities, one of the potential contributing factors may involve medicalization, as well as economic factors such as the types of jobs available in certain regions, particularly those that require physical labor which may exclude individuals with physical disabilities.
Unhealthy lifestyles, dangerous working conditions, and lack of economic diversity are all factors that contribute to the varying patterns of disability across the United States. The uneven patterns of disability could be linked to certain occupations, like mining and factory work, which are physically demanding and may lead to worker disability. The identification and mitigation of these contributing factors could be crucial in addressing the disability crisis.