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Concepts of Health

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CONCEPTS OF HEALTH
INTRODUCTION
As humans remain different in nature, so are their perceptions and response towards certain issues of their lives and well being. The concept of health assumes to be a typical example of this and hence, poses debate about what it is. “Health” is a word which means different things to different people (Ewles & Simnett, 2003). This essay intends to critically discuss the meaning of health by exploring different definitions and their contraindications.

Naidoo & Wills (2000) defined health in two main ways: the positive approach, where health is viewed as a capacity or an asset, and the negative approach, which emphasises the absence of illness, diseases or disorders. “Health” as defined by the World Health Organisation (1949) is ‘the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. This definition, as well as emphasising health in a positive sense, is significant in stressing mental as well as physical aspects of health, and social as well as individual wellbeing. This would be viewed as an ideal towards which health care and other social actions may be orientated. However some authors argue that health is holistic and includes different dimensions, each of which needs to be considered (Ewles & Simnett, 1999).

Seedhouse (1991) criticism of this definition believed that a more realistic view was needed. He used a holistic approach in his seminal work, stating that health is closely linked to empowering people to improve their quality of life. He went on to define health by postulating that a “person’s optimum state of health is equivalent to the state of the set of conditions which will fulfil his or her realistic and chosen biological potentials. Some of these conditions are of highest importance for all people. Others are variable dependent upon individual abilities and

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