The Definition of Health
Health refers to the state of being physically, emotionally and socially well, free of disease or injury. It is a concept with a rich history, reflecting the changing perspectives of society and science. The definition of Health is a subject of debate among many disciplines, including biomedical sciences, public health, psychology, sociology, statistics and epidemiology, economics, and education.
The traditional medical model of Health focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disease or injury and is the basis for much of the funding and delivery of health services, particularly in developed countries. In this model, individuals are seen as responsible for their own health and therefore have the power to modify risk behaviors through personal choices (such as not smoking) and to access preventive and curative health care.
There are many diseases and disorders that can afflict the human body, ranging from colds to cancers. People can also be affected by conditions that are not diseases but rather impairments of the ability to function, such as chronic musculoskeletal pain or depression. Some people may experience multiple conditions at the same time, a phenomenon known as multimorbidity.
A person’s level of Health depends not only on the presence or absence of disease, but also on how he or she lives his or her life and the context in which he or she functions. This perspective on Health was articulated by the French physician Georges Canguilhem in his 1943 book, The Normal and the Pathological. Canguilhem’s definition of Health as “the ability to adapt to one’s prevailing conditions” shifts the focus away from an emphasis on individual responsibility and the role of the doctor to a focus on enabling people to meet their own health needs.
The current field model of Health emphasizes the need to address a wide range of factors that influence health and that are sometimes referred to as risk or protective factors. These determinants of health are related to the circumstances in which a person lives, works and plays. They include general economic and environmental conditions; cultural factors; and the behavioral responses of individuals to these influences. Some of these determinants are within the control of individuals and others are not, such as genetic disorders.
The health of a population is dependent on the overall quality of life and the health of its members. This is why it is important to consider the overall quality of life and how to improve it through policy and community action. Health features should be free of opinion, bias and personal agenda. They should present scientifically sound research, be accessible and understandable to a non-scientific audience and avoid the use of technical terms that are unfamiliar to readers. It is a challenge to find health topics that are new and exciting, while at the same time not deviate too far from a mainstream approach. Choosing the right topic is an art, and the best writers are able to balance a variety of criteria.
Health refers to the state of being physically, emotionally and socially well, free of disease or injury. It is a concept with a rich history, reflecting the changing perspectives of society and science. The definition of Health is a subject of debate among many disciplines, including biomedical sciences, public health, psychology, sociology, statistics and epidemiology, economics, and education. The traditional medical model of Health focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disease or injury and is the basis for much of the funding and delivery of health services, particularly in developed countries. In this model, individuals are seen as responsible for their own health and therefore have the power to modify risk behaviors through personal choices (such as not smoking) and to access preventive and curative health care. There are many diseases and disorders that can afflict the human body, ranging from colds to cancers. People can also be affected by conditions that are not diseases but rather impairments of the ability to function, such as chronic musculoskeletal pain or depression. Some people may experience multiple conditions at the same time, a phenomenon known as multimorbidity. A person’s level of Health depends not only on the presence or absence of disease, but also on how he or she lives his or her life and the context in which he or she functions. This perspective on Health was articulated by the French physician Georges Canguilhem in his 1943 book, The Normal and the Pathological. Canguilhem’s definition of Health as “the ability to adapt to one’s prevailing conditions” shifts the focus away from an emphasis on individual responsibility and the role of the doctor to a focus on enabling people to meet their own health needs. The current field model of Health emphasizes the need to address a wide range of factors that influence health and that are sometimes referred to as risk or protective factors. These determinants of health are related to the circumstances in which a person lives, works and plays. They include general economic and environmental conditions; cultural factors; and the behavioral responses of individuals to these influences. Some of these determinants are within the control of individuals and others are not, such as genetic disorders. The health of a population is dependent on the overall quality of life and the health of its members. This is why it is important to consider the overall quality of life and how to improve it through policy and community action. Health features should be free of opinion, bias and personal agenda. They should present scientifically sound research, be accessible and understandable to a non-scientific audience and avoid the use of technical terms that are unfamiliar to readers. It is a challenge to find health topics that are new and exciting, while at the same time not deviate too far from a mainstream approach. Choosing the right topic is an art, and the best writers are able to balance a variety of criteria.