Which model defines disability as a consequence of a health condition and emphasizes disruption of functioning?

• A. Medical model defines disability as a consequence of a health condition.
• B. Functional model defines disability as deficits that limit functioning.
• C. Social model attributes disability to environmental barriers.
• D. Rehabilitation approach focuses on cure.

Answer: (A)

Disability defined as a consequence of a health condition and as a disruption of functioning is characteristic of the medical model. This view treats the impairment as the central issue, arising from disease, injury, or illness, and focuses on diagnosing, treating, or managing the health condition to restore function. In this framework, disability is seen as a problem located within the person, rather than in the surrounding environment or social context, which is why the emphasis is on health-related impairment and its impact on functioning.

By comparison, other perspectives shift the emphasis elsewhere: the functional view centers on what a person can or cannot do in daily activities, the social view attributes disability to environmental barriers and societal attitudes, and the rehabilitation approach centers on strategies to regain abilities, often within a medical or therapeutic context but not by defining disability itself as a health-condition consequence.