disability · model

Disability

Medical Model

Definition

A biological defect, pathology, or bodily system failure requiring treatment/cure.

Prerequisite chain

Condition. A diagnosed biological/medical pathology exists
Functional status. Activities of Daily Living (eating, bathing, mobility) are impaired
Applied test. Function measured clinically, both untreated and "optimized" (treated)

Assessment basis (treatment / aids) — Often assessed without aids/meds to gauge the pure underlying pathology; doctors also separately assess "optimized" function to measure treatment efficacy.

Qualifiers

Severity. Clinical scales, mild to profound
Duration. Acute vs. Chronic
Scope. Quantified as % functional loss
Other. Diagnosis-driven, treatment-oriented

Impact

Impairs Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) like eating, bathing, toileting.

Example

A neurologist rates baseline motor function before and after Parkinson's medication to measure drug efficacy.

Source: Clinical/medical practice

Language map: disability · Incapacity · Mitigated-state trap