A service delivery model that extends health care beyond the medical model, applies a multicausal approach to studying the causes or origins of problems, and emphasizes a preventative approach is called the ____.

• A. Human service model
• B. Medical model
• C. Public health model
• D. Barriers

Answer: (C)

The main idea tested is a shift from treating illness to shaping health at the population level by addressing multiple causes and prioritizing prevention. The public health model fits because it looks beyond the individual medical condition, considering a range of determinants—biological, behavioral, social, and environmental—and uses prevention and health promotion to reduce disease and disability across communities. It emphasizes interventions at the policy, environmental, and program levels to stop problems before they start.

In contrast, the medical model concentrates on diagnosing and treating diseases in individuals, focusing on biological factors and clinical care after a problem arises. The human service model centers on providing broad, person-centered services and supports, but it doesn’t inherently frame health around multicausal determinants and population-wide prevention. Barriers refer to obstacles to access rather than a comprehensive service delivery framework.