The Definition of Health
Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Healthy people are more productive, learn more readily in school and the workplace, are better able to cope with life’s stresses, have more self-confidence, and have stronger relationships. They are able to enjoy more leisure time and participate in a wider range of activities. Having good health is crucial to living a long, happy and fulfilling life.
Generally, people who are unhealthy are at higher risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, cancer, lung disorders and diabetes. These diseases can lead to a decreased quality of life, which is why it’s important to maintain good health through regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, stress management and abstaining from tobacco and excessive alcohol use.
The determinants of health include individual choices, such as diet and lifestyle, genetics, environment, healthcare, and many other factors. Some of these factors are amenable to change while others, such as genetics, are not. Moreover, a person’s perception of their own health is an important factor as well.
In the past, scientists have primarily defined health as an absence of disease. However, this definition of health limits our ability to fully understand and address the complex and diverse processes that produce it. Moreover, it ignores the fact that individuals often feel sick in the presence of no disease or symptoms, and that they differ greatly in their responses to diseases and treatments.
A more comprehensive and holistic approach to understanding and improving health has emerged from the work of scholars such as McPhee and colleagues. They have proposed that there are three broad types of definitions of health:
The first type defines health as the absence of disease. This view has limited value, because it is possible for a disease to exist in an individual without the medical profession being aware of it. Additionally, as scientific methods of diagnosis become more sophisticated, individuals who were previously considered healthy may be found to have a disease that was not detectable with previous techniques.
Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Healthy people are more productive, learn more readily in school and the workplace, are better able to cope with life’s stresses, have more self-confidence, and have stronger relationships. They are able to enjoy more leisure time and participate in a wider range of activities. Having good health is crucial to living a long, happy and fulfilling life. Generally, people who are unhealthy are at higher risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, cancer, lung disorders and diabetes. These diseases can lead to a decreased quality of life, which is why it’s important to maintain good health through regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, stress management and abstaining from tobacco and excessive alcohol use. The determinants of health include individual choices, such as diet and lifestyle, genetics, environment, healthcare, and many other factors. Some of these factors are amenable to change while others, such as genetics, are not. Moreover, a person’s perception of their own health is an important factor as well. In the past, scientists have primarily defined health as an absence of disease. However, this definition of health limits our ability to fully understand and address the complex and diverse processes that produce it. Moreover, it ignores the fact that individuals often feel sick in the presence of no disease or symptoms, and that they differ greatly in their responses to diseases and treatments. A more comprehensive and holistic approach to understanding and improving health has emerged from the work of scholars such as McPhee and colleagues. They have proposed that there are three broad types of definitions of health: The first type defines health as the absence of disease. This view has limited value, because it is possible for a disease to exist in an individual without the medical profession being aware of it. Additionally, as scientific methods of diagnosis become more sophisticated, individuals who were previously considered healthy may be found to have a disease that was not detectable with previous techniques.