A Commentary on What Health Is and How It Is Assessed
Health is fundamental to a successful and fulfilling life. It is what allows individuals to pursue their goals, handle stress, and take pleasure in the simple things in life. People rely on healthy food, adequate rest, physical activity and social connections for mental and emotional well-being. Despite the significant investment in healthcare and the importance of a healthy lifestyle, many people have limited opportunity to achieve optimal health.
Across the globe, there is a growing recognition that health is more than the absence of disease or infirmity; it is the ability to function effectively within changing circumstances and to live in harmony with the total environment. This concept of health invites new approaches to assessing resiliency and resources for adaptation and fosters a focus on the broader context in which health is produced.
Evolving views of what health is and how it is measured have impacted research, policies, and practice. Early responses emphasized personal responsibility and clinical interventions focused on modifications of individual behavior. The more recent emphasis on health promotion has expanded to include a focus on community-level interventions. However, these initiatives have not fully acknowledged the complexities of the social and environmental factors that produce health.
As scientific advances in genetics and a globalization of crises have highlighted, health is a complex construct that is determined by interconnected social and environmental processes rather than solely by access to medical care. Consequently, it is difficult for policymakers and health practitioners to define and measure health using only traditional biomedical measures.
This commentary aims to contribute to the evolving conversation about what health is and how it is best assessed. It builds on the work of a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Health and Function (RRTC) on Disability and Health funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.
Using the new definition of health — a dynamic state defined as an adaptation to change with balance and flexibility—provides a framework for analyzing and measuring progress toward a more sustainable, equitable health system that supports individuals’ ability to adapt effectively throughout their lives. This framework can help identify and prioritize areas for improvement.
Choosing the right format for your article will have a significant impact on its scope and audience. Do you want to write a brief news story, an in-depth feature article, or a profile of a researcher who is studying a specific treatment? Each of these formats requires a different approach to how you frame your ideas. This is especially true for health articles where the audience can vary greatly. Keeping this in mind when developing your idea will help you to narrow your focus and make the most of your time and budget.
Health is fundamental to a successful and fulfilling life. It is what allows individuals to pursue their goals, handle stress, and take pleasure in the simple things in life. People rely on healthy food, adequate rest, physical activity and social connections for mental and emotional well-being. Despite the significant investment in healthcare and the importance of a healthy lifestyle, many people have limited opportunity to achieve optimal health. Across the globe, there is a growing recognition that health is more than the absence of disease or infirmity; it is the ability to function effectively within changing circumstances and to live in harmony with the total environment. This concept of health invites new approaches to assessing resiliency and resources for adaptation and fosters a focus on the broader context in which health is produced. Evolving views of what health is and how it is measured have impacted research, policies, and practice. Early responses emphasized personal responsibility and clinical interventions focused on modifications of individual behavior. The more recent emphasis on health promotion has expanded to include a focus on community-level interventions. However, these initiatives have not fully acknowledged the complexities of the social and environmental factors that produce health. As scientific advances in genetics and a globalization of crises have highlighted, health is a complex construct that is determined by interconnected social and environmental processes rather than solely by access to medical care. Consequently, it is difficult for policymakers and health practitioners to define and measure health using only traditional biomedical measures. This commentary aims to contribute to the evolving conversation about what health is and how it is best assessed. It builds on the work of a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Health and Function (RRTC) on Disability and Health funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. Using the new definition of health — a dynamic state defined as an adaptation to change with balance and flexibility—provides a framework for analyzing and measuring progress toward a more sustainable, equitable health system that supports individuals’ ability to adapt effectively throughout their lives. This framework can help identify and prioritize areas for improvement. Choosing the right format for your article will have a significant impact on its scope and audience. Do you want to write a brief news story, an in-depth feature article, or a profile of a researcher who is studying a specific treatment? Each of these formats requires a different approach to how you frame your ideas. This is especially true for health articles where the audience can vary greatly. Keeping this in mind when developing your idea will help you to narrow your focus and make the most of your time and budget.