Health As a Concept
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is a concept that has evolved from a medical view of disease and treatment to a more holistic notion of health that encompasses individual and community action, behavior change, and social support to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent diseases or injuries.
Many things can affect health, ranging from the environmental to the genetic. Some of these factors are under the individual’s control, such as smoking or drinking too much, while others are beyond his or her direct control, such as inherited diseases. Many people also believe that a person’s life-style can significantly affect his or her level of wellness, and that it is possible to achieve a higher level of health by adopting certain lifestyle habits.
In the past, health was often viewed as synonymous with good nutrition and regular exercise. In addition, some cultures regarded their sturdiest members as those who had the most children and did not suffer from diseases such as cancer or tuberculosis. However, the definition of health has changed with new insights into disease processes at molecular and cellular levels. Health, as a concept of total well-being, has emerged as a result of these developments and has become the basis for public health policy.
There is now more emphasis on prevention of disease by avoiding risk factors such as smoking, high-fat diets, and excessive stress. Health and wellness are also related to a person’s social and spiritual activities, and the ability to adapt to changing environments and internal or external circumstances. In addition, the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study provides keys for quantifiable health metrics by developing statistical tools for calculating healthy life expectancy.
As health promotion has gained ground, the focus of health research has moved away from a negative concept of disease to one that includes an understanding of the dynamics of pathogenesis at both the microbiological and socioeconomic levels. This shift is reflected in the constitution of the World Health Organization, which states that “health is a state of well being and not merely the absence of disease or sickness.”
As with finding great ideas for articles, it’s important to spend time carefully considering what kind of format you want your article to take. Is it a short news piece, an in-depth feature, or maybe a profile of a researcher studying a particular disease? It’s a big step to make, but doing this will help you to focus your ideas and to come up with an article that will really connect with your audience.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is a concept that has evolved from a medical view of disease and treatment to a more holistic notion of health that encompasses individual and community action, behavior change, and social support to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent diseases or injuries. Many things can affect health, ranging from the environmental to the genetic. Some of these factors are under the individual’s control, such as smoking or drinking too much, while others are beyond his or her direct control, such as inherited diseases. Many people also believe that a person’s life-style can significantly affect his or her level of wellness, and that it is possible to achieve a higher level of health by adopting certain lifestyle habits. In the past, health was often viewed as synonymous with good nutrition and regular exercise. In addition, some cultures regarded their sturdiest members as those who had the most children and did not suffer from diseases such as cancer or tuberculosis. However, the definition of health has changed with new insights into disease processes at molecular and cellular levels. Health, as a concept of total well-being, has emerged as a result of these developments and has become the basis for public health policy. There is now more emphasis on prevention of disease by avoiding risk factors such as smoking, high-fat diets, and excessive stress. Health and wellness are also related to a person’s social and spiritual activities, and the ability to adapt to changing environments and internal or external circumstances. In addition, the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study provides keys for quantifiable health metrics by developing statistical tools for calculating healthy life expectancy. As health promotion has gained ground, the focus of health research has moved away from a negative concept of disease to one that includes an understanding of the dynamics of pathogenesis at both the microbiological and socioeconomic levels. This shift is reflected in the constitution of the World Health Organization, which states that “health is a state of well being and not merely the absence of disease or sickness.” As with finding great ideas for articles, it’s important to spend time carefully considering what kind of format you want your article to take. Is it a short news piece, an in-depth feature, or maybe a profile of a researcher studying a particular disease? It’s a big step to make, but doing this will help you to focus your ideas and to come up with an article that will really connect with your audience.