OBJECTIVES: The medical model of disability focuses on disability as an impairment curing or managing illness or disability. That is, people are disabled because of their impairment and the only way to manage their impairments is by medications. The medical model is not able to help with problems that cannot be solved medically. The social model of disability says that people are disabled because of the way society is organised. Therefore, using the social model, people with disability can function well and independently if barriers imposed by society is removed. Both models when used in isolation often do not meet individual’s need. This study focuses on combining the two models to give people with disability holistic intervention.

METHODS: A questionnaire was administered at the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) conference Baltimore 2018. Two hundred and twenty (220) participants responded to questions asked as follows; using the medical model alone, using the social model alone and combining the two models. Participants responded under these headings: yes, no and not sure. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS: It showed that 80 (37%) participants stated that medical model should be used, 58 (26%) said no, while 80 (37%) were not sure. Also, 147 (67%) participants stated that social model be used, 11 (5%) said no and 62 (28%) were not sure. Combining both medical and social models, 180 (82%) participants stated yes, 2 (1%) stated no and 37 (17%) were not sure.

CONCLUSIONS: In all, 37% of the participants supported the medical model, 67% supported the use of social model, and 82% of the participants’ supported combining the medical and the social models of disability. Combining the models may help to provide access to holistic interventions thereby improving the quality of life and health outcomes of people with disability.