Understanding the Concept of Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a resource for living”, and describes a healthy person as someone who has the capacity to realize their own aspirations and satisfy their needs in a changing environment.
Individuals may view health in many ways, and there is no universal definition. However, many people define health in terms of the ability to function in society: a person’s level of functioning is considered an important measure of their overall health. Other common measures of health include the quality of life, the degree to which a person is satisfied with their lifestyle, and their emotional and spiritual well-being.
The concept of health has changed significantly since the World Health Organization’s founding in 1948. A key shift has been from viewing health as a state to thinking of it as a dynamic process. This is consistent with a growing recognition that individuals and communities need to be able to adapt and cope in order to thrive. A growing body of research shows that the health of an individual is affected by more than just their genetics and current illness, but also by factors in their daily environment, including the work they do, their social connections and support networks, their lifestyle choices, the physical environment in which they live and how they manage stress. These many influences are sometimes referred to as the social determinants of health (Commission on Social Determinants of Health, 2008).
Most people would agree that there are things that can be done to improve one’s health. These include eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, exercising regularly and avoiding unhealthful activities such as excessive amounts of stress. Many of these lifestyle habits are influenced by a person’s economic situation and the availability of healthy food, housing, and transportation, as well as their education, employment and family circumstances.
It is important to note that the prevailing medical model of health still tends to focus on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. This model of health is problematic because it often leaves out important aspects of a person’s health, such as their emotions and their ability to adapt to change and adversity. It can also contribute to an overmedicalisation of society by pathologising the existence of suboptimal health states.
Despite these concerns, it is important to remember that health is an individual’s personal responsibility. There are a number of health promoting interventions that can be implemented at the individual, community or national levels, and there are many organisations working to promote these methods of improving health. These interventions can be divided into three main categories: preventive, therapeutic and supportive. Preventive interventions focus on the promotion of healthy behaviours, such as regular exercise and good nutrition. Therapeutic interventions target the treatment of disease and rehabilitation. Supportive interventions provide emotional and practical support for patients and their families.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a resource for living”, and describes a healthy person as someone who has the capacity to realize their own aspirations and satisfy their needs in a changing environment. Individuals may view health in many ways, and there is no universal definition. However, many people define health in terms of the ability to function in society: a person’s level of functioning is considered an important measure of their overall health. Other common measures of health include the quality of life, the degree to which a person is satisfied with their lifestyle, and their emotional and spiritual well-being. The concept of health has changed significantly since the World Health Organization’s founding in 1948. A key shift has been from viewing health as a state to thinking of it as a dynamic process. This is consistent with a growing recognition that individuals and communities need to be able to adapt and cope in order to thrive. A growing body of research shows that the health of an individual is affected by more than just their genetics and current illness, but also by factors in their daily environment, including the work they do, their social connections and support networks, their lifestyle choices, the physical environment in which they live and how they manage stress. These many influences are sometimes referred to as the social determinants of health (Commission on Social Determinants of Health, 2008). Most people would agree that there are things that can be done to improve one’s health. These include eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, exercising regularly and avoiding unhealthful activities such as excessive amounts of stress. Many of these lifestyle habits are influenced by a person’s economic situation and the availability of healthy food, housing, and transportation, as well as their education, employment and family circumstances. It is important to note that the prevailing medical model of health still tends to focus on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. This model of health is problematic because it often leaves out important aspects of a person’s health, such as their emotions and their ability to adapt to change and adversity. It can also contribute to an overmedicalisation of society by pathologising the existence of suboptimal health states. Despite these concerns, it is important to remember that health is an individual’s personal responsibility. There are a number of health promoting interventions that can be implemented at the individual, community or national levels, and there are many organisations working to promote these methods of improving health. These interventions can be divided into three main categories: preventive, therapeutic and supportive. Preventive interventions focus on the promotion of healthy behaviours, such as regular exercise and good nutrition. Therapeutic interventions target the treatment of disease and rehabilitation. Supportive interventions provide emotional and practical support for patients and their families.