The
word health means different things to different people, depending on the
situation. If somebody says "I was worried about my husband's health when
he climbed Mt. Everest", it is clear that the
woman is referring to her husband's physical health, possibly his heart, skin (frostbite)
and risk of developing hypothermia when the body's temperature drops too low.
On
the other hand, if you hear the phrase "With all these deadlines,
presentations and working weekends, I wonder what the effect will be on her
health," most likely the word "health" refers more to mental
health than physical health.
The
words "health" or "healthy" can also be used in non-medical
contexts. For example "A healthy economy needs an ideal GDP growth rate
that is sustainable, one that remains in the expansion phase of the business
cycle as long as possible."
The English word "health" comes from the Old English word hale,
meaning "wholeness, being whole, sound or well,". Hale comes
from the Proto-Indo-European root kailo, meaning "whole, uninjured,
of good omen". Kailo comes from the Proto-Germanic root khalbas,
meaning "something divided".
Medilexicon's
medical dictionary has three definitions for health, the first being "The
state of the organism when it functions optimally without evidence of disease
or abnormality"
World Health Organization's (WHO's) definition of "health"
The most famous modern
definition of health was created during a Preamble to the Constitution of the
World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference,
New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61
States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100)
and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
The Definition has not been amended since 1948.
During the Ottawa Charter for
Health Promotion in 1986, the WHO said that health is:
"a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."
"a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."
The Lancet questions WHO's definition of health
An
article in The Lancet states that
health is not a "state of
complete physical, mental, and social well-being". Neither is it "merely the absence of disease or
infirmity". The article says the WHO definitions of health will not
do in an era marked by new understandings of disease at molecular, individual,
and societal levels. (The Lancet,
Volume 373, Issue 9666, Page 781, 7 March 2009).
Two aspects to health
Most people accept that
health can be divided into two broad aspects - physical and mental health.
* Physical health
For
humans, physical health means a good body health, which is healthy because of
regular physical activity (exercise), good nutrition, and adequate rest.
As a country's or region's people experience improved nutrition, health care, standards of living and quality of life, their height and weight generally increase.
In fact, most people, when asked for a definition of health talk about physical health. Physical health relates to anything concerning our bodies as physical entities. Physical health has been the basis for active living campaigns and the many nutrition drives that have swept the industrialized world. People are exposed to so much "physical health" data these days that it is hard to decide what is
As a country's or region's people experience improved nutrition, health care, standards of living and quality of life, their height and weight generally increase.
In fact, most people, when asked for a definition of health talk about physical health. Physical health relates to anything concerning our bodies as physical entities. Physical health has been the basis for active living campaigns and the many nutrition drives that have swept the industrialized world. People are exposed to so much "physical health" data these days that it is hard to decide what is
relevant and what is not.
Another
term for physical health is physical wellbeing. Physical wellbeing is
defined as something a person can achieve by developing all health-related
components of his/her lifestyle. Fitness reflects a person's cardiorespiratory
endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition. Other
contributors to physical wellbeing may include proper nutrition, bodyweight
management, abstaining from drug abuse, avoiding alcohol abuse, responsible
sexual behavior (sexual health), hygiene, and getting the right amount of
sleep.
Some people divide physical health into two separate sections:
Some people divide physical health into two separate sections:
Structural health - this refers to sound bones, muscles, organs etc.
That the structures in the body are performing the functions they were made for
properly. Structural health is associated with a person's height/weight ratio,
their BMI (body mass index), their resting pulse rate (heart rate), and
recovery time after doing exercise.
Chemical Health - good chemical health means that the chemicals in the person's body are correct, that tissues contain the right balance of nutrients, etc., and there are no toxic chemicals.
We may inhale or swallow natural and synthetic chemicals; they can also get into our body through skin. In most cases, the body can break these chemicals down or excrete them, so that there is no risk of toxic overload.
Some chemicals can harm or destroy cells and tissues, while others may affect genetic material directly, which can increase the risk of developing cancer.
Chemical Health - good chemical health means that the chemicals in the person's body are correct, that tissues contain the right balance of nutrients, etc., and there are no toxic chemicals.
We may inhale or swallow natural and synthetic chemicals; they can also get into our body through skin. In most cases, the body can break these chemicals down or excrete them, so that there is no risk of toxic overload.
Some chemicals can harm or destroy cells and tissues, while others may affect genetic material directly, which can increase the risk of developing cancer.
* Mental health
Mental health refers to people's cognitive and emotional well-being. A person who enjoys good mental health does not have a mental disorder. According to WHO, mental health is "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community".
No matter how many definitions people try to come up with regarding mental health, its assessment is still a subjective one.
Mental health refers to people's cognitive and emotional well-being. A person who enjoys good mental health does not have a mental disorder. According to WHO, mental health is "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community".
No matter how many definitions people try to come up with regarding mental health, its assessment is still a subjective one.
People have always found it easier to explain what mental illness is, rather than mental health. Most people agree that mental health refers to the "absence of mental illness". For some, this definition is not enough. They argue that if you pick 100 people who do not suffer from any mental disorder or illness that could be diagnosed by a psychiatrist, some people within those 100 will be mentally healthier than others. Most people also agree that mental health includes the ability to enjoy life, the ability to bounce back from adversity, the ability to achieve balance (moderation), the ability to be flexible and adapt, the ability to feel safe and secure, and self-actualization (making the best of what you have).
Determinants of health
The
health of individual people and their communities are affected by a wide range
of contributory factors. People's good or bad health is determined by their
environment and situations - what is happening and what has happened to them,
says WHO. WHO says that the following factors probably have a bigger impact on
our health than access and use of health care services:
- Where we live
- The state of our environment
- Genetics
- Our income
- Our education level
- Our relationship with friends and family
WHO says the main
determinants to health are:
- Our economy and society ("The social and economic environment")
- Where we live, what is physically around us ("The physical environment")
- What we are and what we do ("The person's individual characteristics and behaviors")
As
our good health depends on the context of our lives, praising or criticizing
people for their good or bad health is wrong. Most of the factors that
contribute towards our good or bad health are out of our control. According to
WHO, these factors (determinants), include the following, among others:
- Socioeconomic status - the higher a person's socioeconomic status is, the more likely he/she is to enjoy good health. Socioeconomic status affects all members of the family, including newborn babies. Australian researchers found that women of lower socioeconomic status are less likely to breastfeed their newborn babies - a factor which will have an impact on the health of the baby just as he/she enters the world. A South Korean study revealed
- Education - people with lower levels of education generally have a higher risk of experiencing poorer health. Their levels of stress will most likely be higher, compared to people with higher academic qualifications. A person with a high level of education will probably have greater self-esteem.
A study carried out by
researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,
found that elderly people who had a higher level of health literacy were more likely to live longer.
Another
study from San Francisco VA Medical Center found that literacy at less than a
ninth-grade level almost doubles the five-year risk of mortality among elderly
people.
* Physical
environment - if your water is clean and safe, the air you breathe is pure,
your workplace is healthy, your house is comfortable and safe, you are more
likely to enjoy good health compared to somebody whose water supply is not
clean and safe, the air he/she breathes is contaminated, the workplace is
unhealthy, etc.
A study carried out by researchers at Zuyd University, The Netherlands, found that just an hour of sniffing car exhaust fumes induces a stress response in the brain's activity.
Another study carried out at Indiana University-Purdue University found that chronic lead poisoning, caused in part by the ingestion of contaminated dirt, affects hundreds of thousands more children in the United States than the acute lead poisoning associated with imported toys or jewelry.
A study carried out by researchers at Zuyd University, The Netherlands, found that just an hour of sniffing car exhaust fumes induces a stress response in the brain's activity.
Another study carried out at Indiana University-Purdue University found that chronic lead poisoning, caused in part by the ingestion of contaminated dirt, affects hundreds of thousands more children in the United States than the acute lead poisoning associated with imported toys or jewelry.
*
Job prospects and employment conditions
- if you have a job, statistics show you are more likely to enjoy better health
than people who are unemployed. If you have some control over your working
conditions your health will benefit too. Researchers at State University of New
York at Albany
found that workers who lost their job through no fault of their own were twice
as likely as continuously employed workers to report over the next 18 months
that they developed a new illness, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart
disease.
*
Support from people around you - if
you have family support, as well as support from friends and your community
your chances of enjoying good health are far greater than somebody who has none
of these things. A team from the University
of Washington found that strong
family support, not peer support, is protective in reducing future suicidal
behavior among young adults when they have experienced depression or have
attempted suicide.
*
Culture - the traditions and customs
of a society and how a family responds to them play an important role in
people's health. The impact could be either good or bad for health. The
tradition of genital mutilation of women has an impact on infection rates and
the mental health of millions of girls and women in many countries. A study
published in the Journal of
Epidemiology and Community Health found that when young people
dress according to the customs of their own ethnic group, they may be less
likely to have mental health problems later in life.
*
Genetic inheritance - people's
longevity, general health, and propensity to certain diseases are partly
determined by their genetic makeup. Researchers from Vrije Universiteit, Holland, the Medical College of Georgia, USA, and Duke University, USA showed that people's genes play
a key role in how they respond both biologically and psychologically to stress
in their environment.
*
What we do and how we manage - what
we eat, our physical activity, whether or not we smoke or drink or take drugs,
and how we cope with stress play an important role on our physical and mental
well-being.
*
Access and use of health services - a
society that has access and uses good quality health services is more likely to
enjoy better health than one that doesn't. For example, developed countries
that have universal health care services have longer life expectancies for
their people compared to developed countries that don't.
*
Gender - men and women are
susceptible to some different diseases, conditions and physical experiences,
which play a role in our general health.
For
example, childbirth, ovarian cancer, and cervical cancer, are experienced only
by women, while prostate cancer, testicular cancer are only experienced by men.
During wars, more men than women tend to be called up to fight, and subsequently become injured or die. Adult women are more likely to be the physical victims of domestic abuse, compared to adult men.
In some societies women are not given the same access to education as men - education is a factor that influences health. Many studies have revealed gender disparities in healthcare services, even in developed countries.
During wars, more men than women tend to be called up to fight, and subsequently become injured or die. Adult women are more likely to be the physical victims of domestic abuse, compared to adult men.
In some societies women are not given the same access to education as men - education is a factor that influences health. Many studies have revealed gender disparities in healthcare services, even in developed countries.
What is wellness?
The
term wellness was first used by a doctor called Halbert L. Dunn, USA,
who published a small booklet entitled "High Level Wellness"
in 1961. The term is much more widely used in North American than in the United Kingdom.
According to the Mickinley Health Center, University of Illinois, wellness "is a state of optimal well-being that is oriented toward maximizing an individual's potential. This is a life-long process of moving towards enhancing your physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental well-being."
The University of East Carolina defines wellness as "the integration of mind, body and spirit. Optimal wellness allows us to achieve our goals and find meaning and purpose in our lives. Wellness combines seven dimensions of well-being into a quality way of living. Overall, wellness is the ability to live life to the fullest and to maximize personal potential in a variety of ways. Wellness involves continually learning and making changes to enhance your state of wellness. When we balance the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual, and environmental aspects of life, we achieve true wellness."
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary, wellness is "A philosophy of life and personal hygiene that views health as not merely the absence of illness but the full realization of one's physical and mental potential, as achieved through positive attitudes, fitness training, a diet low in fat and high in fiber, and the avoidance of unhealthful practices (smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, overeating)".
According to the Mickinley Health Center, University of Illinois, wellness "is a state of optimal well-being that is oriented toward maximizing an individual's potential. This is a life-long process of moving towards enhancing your physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental well-being."
The University of East Carolina defines wellness as "the integration of mind, body and spirit. Optimal wellness allows us to achieve our goals and find meaning and purpose in our lives. Wellness combines seven dimensions of well-being into a quality way of living. Overall, wellness is the ability to live life to the fullest and to maximize personal potential in a variety of ways. Wellness involves continually learning and making changes to enhance your state of wellness. When we balance the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual, and environmental aspects of life, we achieve true wellness."
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary, wellness is "A philosophy of life and personal hygiene that views health as not merely the absence of illness but the full realization of one's physical and mental potential, as achieved through positive attitudes, fitness training, a diet low in fat and high in fiber, and the avoidance of unhealthful practices (smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, overeating)".
No comments:
Post a Comment