The Concept of Health
Health is a multifaceted concept involving all aspects of people’s lives, not only their physical condition but also the mental, emotional and social well-being. The World Health Organisation defines it as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
In other words, health is a dynamic resource that enables individuals to realize their aspirations and satisfy needs in a changing environment. This definition of health, along with the theory of salutogenesis, promotes the idea that health is created rather than cured and emphasises the importance of a supportive environment for healthy living.
A number of different ideas have been used to describe health, from a purely physiological view centered on the body to a broader social perspective that focuses on the person’s relationship with their environment. The concept of a healthy lifestyle has become increasingly popular, as have the concepts of wellness and well-being. These theories attempt to incorporate all of these dimensions into a single framework.
While this is an important development, it is important to remember that not everyone will be in a completely healthy state at all times. It is difficult, if not impossible, for most people to have complete mental, emotional and social well-being all the time. Therefore, this approach can lead to overmedicalisation of society by pathologising suboptimal health states.
Moreover, many diseases and conditions can affect our health in ways that are not always immediately apparent or easy to diagnose. For example, a diabetic can be in a fairly good state of health and yet still be at risk for developing heart disease or even a stroke. Similarly, someone who moves from sea level to a mountain region may suffer from shortness of breath and anemia until their red blood cell count adjusts to the new altitude.
In addition, the concept of health has been significantly influenced by the rise of the field of biomedicine, which has moved away from viewing disease as simply an absence of illness to a more holistic approach that combines physiological and psychosocial elements. This has led to the development of the biopsychosocial model, which is a more holistic and inclusive approach to understanding health.
Another significant change in the perception of health was initiated by Canguilhem, who conceived it as a “natural state”. He suggested that the term health be defined not in terms of an ideal, but in terms of a person’s ability to adapt to his or her environment. This reflects the modern concept of health as an ecosystem.
However, in the past century, healthcare has largely failed to naturally utilize free market principles. Government policies and third parties have skewed, cancelled or outlawed the patient-physician healing relationship, so that individuals are not allowed to choose their own health care ecosystem. This prevents the optimum health outcome that would occur when patients pick and pay for their care themselves.
Health is a multifaceted concept involving all aspects of people’s lives, not only their physical condition but also the mental, emotional and social well-being. The World Health Organisation defines it as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In other words, health is a dynamic resource that enables individuals to realize their aspirations and satisfy needs in a changing environment. This definition of health, along with the theory of salutogenesis, promotes the idea that health is created rather than cured and emphasises the importance of a supportive environment for healthy living. A number of different ideas have been used to describe health, from a purely physiological view centered on the body to a broader social perspective that focuses on the person’s relationship with their environment. The concept of a healthy lifestyle has become increasingly popular, as have the concepts of wellness and well-being. These theories attempt to incorporate all of these dimensions into a single framework. While this is an important development, it is important to remember that not everyone will be in a completely healthy state at all times. It is difficult, if not impossible, for most people to have complete mental, emotional and social well-being all the time. Therefore, this approach can lead to overmedicalisation of society by pathologising suboptimal health states. Moreover, many diseases and conditions can affect our health in ways that are not always immediately apparent or easy to diagnose. For example, a diabetic can be in a fairly good state of health and yet still be at risk for developing heart disease or even a stroke. Similarly, someone who moves from sea level to a mountain region may suffer from shortness of breath and anemia until their red blood cell count adjusts to the new altitude. In addition, the concept of health has been significantly influenced by the rise of the field of biomedicine, which has moved away from viewing disease as simply an absence of illness to a more holistic approach that combines physiological and psychosocial elements. This has led to the development of the biopsychosocial model, which is a more holistic and inclusive approach to understanding health. Another significant change in the perception of health was initiated by Canguilhem, who conceived it as a “natural state”. He suggested that the term health be defined not in terms of an ideal, but in terms of a person’s ability to adapt to his or her environment. This reflects the modern concept of health as an ecosystem. However, in the past century, healthcare has largely failed to naturally utilize free market principles. Government policies and third parties have skewed, cancelled or outlawed the patient-physician healing relationship, so that individuals are not allowed to choose their own health care ecosystem. This prevents the optimum health outcome that would occur when patients pick and pay for their care themselves.