Introduction to Physician Assistant (PA) Profession 1 Practice Test 2026 - Free PA Profession Practice Questions and Study Guide

Health outcomes are shaped by more than biology; they are strongly influenced by social and environmental factors. The social model centers these psychosocial determinants—income, education, housing, social support, access to care, cultural context—and aims to improve health by altering the conditions in which people live and interact with the health system. It emphasizes prevention, equity, community engagement, and addressing barriers to care as part of treatment, not just diagnosing or treating disease. In PA practice, this translates to considering a patient’s social needs and environment when planning care, connecting with community resources, and advocating for policies that remove barriers to healthy living. The medical model focuses on biological disease processes, the nursing model centers holistic, patient-centered care within clinical settings, and an integrated model blends elements from multiple approaches; however, the emphasis on psychosocial determinants and broader social interventions makes the social model the best fit.