What is Health?

The World Health Organization (WHO) (2019) definition of health is; “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (para. 1). This definition was adopted in 1948 and hasn’t been revised since. Though WHO was the first to include social well-being in a definition of health, recognizing the link between health and an individual’s environment, many critics believe that it is no longer relevant in our society given the increase in chronic diseases. (Huber, 2011). It’s time for a revision as firstly; it seems improbable, if not impossible, to be in “complete” physical, mental and social well-being. Secondly; being in a state of incomplete wellbeing or having a disease or infirmity does not preclude one from living a happy and satisfied life. The determinants of health; income and social status, employment and working conditions, education and literacy, childhood experiences, physical environments, social supports and coping skills, healthy behaviours, access to health services, biology and genetics, gender, and culture, all play a major role in health and people’s perceptions of health (Government of Canada, 2018).

There are many new definitions of health. Sartorius (2006) defines health as more than the absence of disease but also as, “a state of balance, an equilibrium that an individual has established within himself and between himself and his social and physical environment” (para. 2). This means that even with a disease or infirmity, an internally balanced individual can be thought of as being healthy, and he is not defined merely by his disease. The medical profession alone, cannot and should not, have the right to declare someone healthy or unhealthy without the input of the individual in question. A person’s own perception of health must be taken into consideration as well. How individuals cope with a disease, how they feel about their quality and enjoyment of life with an infirmity is of vital importance (Sartorius, 2006).

Svalastog, Donev, Jahren Kristoffersen and Gajović, (2017) expand on this theme of health, adding that when inner feelings of happiness and discontent with the environment are balanced, an individual has the ability for self-realization and self-fulfillment. Further, they say health and its definition should encompass not only the individual but the group and community because the interaction of people and their environments is an essential factor to facilitating good health. Health is a wholeness experienced through many aspects of life, individual, family, working and community (Svalastog, Donev, Jahren Kristoffersen and Gajović, 2017).

I believe, individually and globally, people’s perceptions of health are the most important factors to take into consideration when making health policies and when trying to educate on health risks and lifestyle habits. People have different opinions on the determinants of health, and different values and as such, strategies for health promotion must be individualized to be the most successful. In defining an individual’s health, his perception of it should be one of the most important factors to consider.

Elizabeth

References

Government of Canada. (2018). Social determinants of health and health inequalities. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html

Huber, M. (2011). Health: How should we define it? British Medical Journal, 343, (7817), 235-237. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4163 (link http://www.jstor.org/stable/23051314

Sartorius, N. (2006). The meanings of health and its promotion. Croatian medical journal, 47(4), 662–664. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2080455/

Svalastog, A. L., Donev, D., Jahren Kristoffersen, N., & Gajović, S. (2017). Concepts and definitions of health and health-related values in the knowledge landscapes of the digital society. Croatian medical journal, 58(6), 431–435. doi:10.3325/cmj.2017.58.431 Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778676/

World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). What is the WHO definition of health? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions