What is Health?

“The word "health" refers to a state of complete emotional and physical well-being. Healthcare exists to help people maintain this optimal state of health.” (Nordqvist, 2017)

This definition of health looks at the complete emotional and physical well-being of individual and that health care is the answer to give a person an optimal state of health. This is very similar to the 1948 World Health Organization’s definition of "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." WHO, 1948. I believe that these definitions both are not completely accurate today. The word “complete” is where many take issue with the WHO definition. Secondly, many people do not agree on the question “What is an optimal state of health? A happy person living with type 1 diabetes, in my opinion, would be healthy. With the word “complete” in a health definition, it would exclude this person or any people living with chronic diseases from being considered healthy.

In an article written in 2014 in the Journal of Public Health Policy, Johannes Bircher and Shyama Kuruvilla wrote, “Health is a state of wellbeing emergent from conducive interactions between individuals' potentials, life's demands, and social and environmental determinants.” (Bircher, 2014). I believe this is a better take on a health definition. This encompasses more than just a person’s physical and mental well-being. It is important for any definition to take into account the social and environmental determinants. Perception of health can vary greatly from each individual, which is very important when defining what health is.

I personally do not believe anyone will achieve “complete” health in any aspect whether social, physical or mental. We all live different lives with many different variables. People who manage chronic diseases and live happy productive lives should be considered healthy as someone who does not live under those circumstances. There are a number of factors that go into someone’s own perception of health. I believe the WHO’s definition of health still has its merits, however, I believe it is time to be updated.

References:

Bircher, J., & Kuruvilla, S. (2014). Defining health by addressing individual, social and environmental determinants; New opportunities for health care and public health. Journal of Public Health Policy. 35(363-386).

Nordqvist, C. (2017). Health: What does good health really mean? Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150999.php