Community Medicine Department

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Sana’a University

Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Akel

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 1

Health and Disease
Concepts

‫مفاهيم الصحة والمرض‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 2
 Lecture Objectives
By the end of this lecture you will be able to:
1. Define health and disease
2. Understand the philosophy of health
3. List the dimensions of health and diseases
4. Analyse Determinants of health
5. Understand Concept of disease
6. Comprehend health and disease spectrum

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 3

 Concept or Definition of Health
❖The word health is widely used in public
communication.
❖Its meaning looks simple.
❖Closer looks show various and diverse meanings.
❖Health helps people to:
❖Live well ‫يعيشوا جيدا‬
❖Work well ‫يعملوا جيدا‬
❖Enjoy themselves ‫يستمتعوا بأنفسهم‬
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 4
 Concept or Definition of Health

❖We shall consider the concept of health from:

1. Lay point of view.
2. Professional point of view.
3. World Health Organization (WHO) point of
view.

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 5

Concept or Definition of Health
First: General Point of View
1. Persons are healthy when they are doing their
activities with no apparent symptoms of disease.
2. The condition of being sound in body, mind or
spirit, especially freedom from physical disease
or pain” (Webster) ”
‫ وخصوصا‬،‫ والعقلية او الروحية‬،‫حالة من التمتع بالسالمة الجسمية‬
“‫خلو البدن من المرض أو االلم‬
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Concept or Definition of Health
(cont.)

3. The New Oxford Dictionary of English

describes health as ‘the state of being free
from illness or injury’.
‫حالة الخلو من المرض أو اإلصابة‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 7

Concept or Definition of Health
(cont.)

4. “ Soundness of body and mind; that

condition in which its functions are duly
and efficiently discharged” (Oxford English
Dictionary).
‫ وهي الحالة التي يتم بها إنجاز‬،‫” سالمة البدن والعقل‬
“‫الوظائف بكفاءة وكما ينبغي‬
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 8
 Concept or Definition of Health

Second: Professional Points of View:

1. Health is defined as “a measure of the
state of the physical bodily organs”
‫مقياس لحالة األعضاء الجسدية‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 9

 Concept or Definition of Health
Second: Professional Points of View:
2. The ability of the body as a whole to
function.
.‫قدرة الجسم ككل على تأدية الوظائف‬
3. It refers to freedom from medically defined
diseases.
.‫الخلومن أمراض محددة طبيا‬
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Concept or Definition of Health
Third: WHO Definition:

Health is “a state of complete physical,

mental, and social well-being and not merely

the absence of disease or infirmity and the

ability to lead a “ socially and economically

productive life” ”. (WHO 1948)

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 11
‫‪Concept or Definition of Health‬‬

‫‪Third: WHO Definition:‬‬

‫عرفت منظمة الصحة العالمية الصحة بأنها‪:‬‬

‫” حالة من المعافاة الكاملة البدنية والعقلية واالجتماعية ‪،‬‬

‫وليس مجرد غياب المرض اوالوهن‪ ،‬والقدرة على قيادة‬

‫حياة منتجة اجتماعيا واقتصاديا“ ‪.‬‬

‫‪Abdulsalam Al- Akel‬‬ ‫‪12‬‬
 Concept or Definition of Health

➢ This definition has been criticized as being:

➢Too broad ‫واسع جدا‬
➢Idealistic goal ‫غاية مثالية‬
➢Can not be measured ‫ال يمكن قياسه‬
➢Is not an operational definition
‫ليس تعريفا إجرائيا‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 13

 Operational Definition
‫التعريف اإلجرائي‬
WHO study group (1957) , the concept of
health is viewed in two aspects:
• broad and narrow senses.
)1975( ‫مجموعة الدراسة التابعة لمنظمة الصحة العالمية‬

‫ المفهوم الواسع و‬،‫مفهوم الصحة يُنظر له من منظورين‬

‫المفهوم الضيق‬
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 Broad sense ‫المفهوم الواسع‬
Health can be seen as “ a condition or
quality of the human organism expressing
the adequate functioning of the organism in
given genetic or environmental conditions”.
‫يمكن ان يُنظر للصحة على أنها حالة أو جودة الكائن‬
‫البشري معربا عنها (ال ُمجسدة) بقيامه بالوظائف الكافية‬
“‫(وبشكل مالئم) وفقا لتكوينه الجيني أو الظروف البيئية‬
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 15
Narrow sense ‫المفهوم الضيق‬

Two aspects in the meaning of health:

‫يوجد منظوران لمعنى الصحة من المنظور الضيق‬
1. Absence of obvious evidence of disease
and the person is functioning normally.
‫غياب الب ِينات ( الحيثيات ) الواضحة على وجود المرض‬
‫وتأدية الشخص لوظائفه بشكل طبيعي‬
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 16
Narrow sense ‫المفهوم الضيق‬

:‫المنظور الثاني الضيق‬

2. Several organs of the body are
functioning adequately in themselves and
in relation to one another.
‫العديد من أعضاء الجسم تقوم بوظائفها بشكل مالئم سواء‬
‫بذاتها أو بإرتباطها مع األعضاء األخرى‬
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 17
 New Philosophy of Health
1. Health is fundamental human right

‫• الصحة حق إنساني أساسي كالحرية والعدالة والمساواة‬

2. Health is the essence of productive life

‫• الصحة جوهر الحياة المنتجة‬

3. Health is intersectoral responsibility

‫• الصحة مسئولية قطاعات متداخلة‬

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 New Philosophy of Health
4. Health is an integral part of development
prerequisite for development
‫• الصحة جزء ال تتجزأ من التنمية‬
5. Health is a fundamental assets
‫• الصحة من أهم األصول الثابتة‬
6. Health is the core of the concept of quality of
life
‫• الصحة هي أصل مفهوم نوعية ( جودة ) الحياة‬
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 New Philosophy of Health (cont.)
7. Health involves individuals, state and international
responsibility

‫ ودولية‬، ‫ ووطنية‬، ‫• الصحة تتضمن مسئوليات فردية‬

8. Health and its maintenance is a major social investment

‫• الصحة والحفاظ عليها استثمار اجتماعي هائل‬

9. Health is world-wide social goal

‫الصحة غاية اجتماعية عالمية‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 20
 Health Dimensions
As evident from WHO and other definitions:
• Health is multidimensional
• WHO definition’s envisages three specific
dimensions.
These are: physical, mental, and social
• Spiritual and emotional dimensions may also be
included.

Abdulsalam Al -Akel -MPH 21

 Dimensions of Health
‫البعد البدني‬
Physical D
‫أبعاد أخرى‬ ‫البعد العقلي‬
Other D Mental D
‫الصحة‬
‫البعد المهني‬ Health ‫البعد االجتماعي‬
Vocational D Social D

‫البعد العاطفي‬ ‫البعد الروحي‬

Emotional D Spiritual D
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 22
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 23
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 24
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 25
 Physical Dimension
1. Perfect functioning ‫أداء وظيفي كامل‬
2. Biological perfectness ‫االكتمال البيولوجي‬
• Every cell and every organ is functioning at
optimum capacity and in perfect harmony
with the rest of the body.
• Anatomical and physiological functioning
integrity.
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 26
 Physical Dimension
• Ability to perform routine tasks with no
physical restriction.
E.g., Physical fitness is needed to walk from
place to place.

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 27

 Mental Dimension
➢ The ability to learn and think clearly and coherently.
➢ Response with sense. ‫استجابة بادراك‬
➢ A state of balance between the individual and
surrounding world
➢ Harmony between oneself and others.
. ‫ تناغم بين الشخص واالخرين‬، ‫حالة توازن بين الفرد والعالم المحيط‬
• E.g., a person who is not mentally fit (retarded) could
not learn at a pace similar to an ordinary normal person.
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 28
 Mental Health Dimension (cont.)
Characteristics of a mentally healthy person.
1. Free from internal conflicts
2. Not at war with himself.
3. Well adjusted
4. Able to get along well with others (accepts criticism
& is not easily upset).
5. Searches for identity.
Abdulsalam Al-Akel -MPH 29
 Characteristics of a mentally healthy person.
6. Strong sense of self esteem.
7. Knows himself, his needs, problems and goals.
(Self Actualization). ‫شخصية واقعية‬
8. Good self control balances rationally and
emotionally.
9. Faces problems and tries to solve them
intelligently, i.e., coping with stress & anxiety.

Abdulsalam Al-Akel -MPH 30

 Social Dimension
➢The ability to make and maintain acceptable
interaction with other people.
• to celebrate during festivals
• to mourn when a close family member dies
• to create and maintain friendship and
intimacy

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 31

 Social Dimension
➢It includes:
• the level of social functioning skills
• the ability of person to see him/herself as
a member of a large society.
‫ وقدرة الشخص ان‬، ‫يتضمن مستوى المهارات االجتماعية الفاعلة‬
‫يرى نفسه عضو في مجتمع كبير‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 32

 Emotional Dimension
➢ The ability of expressing emotions in appropriate
way
▪ for example to fear, to be happy, and to be
angry.
➢The response of the body should be congruent with
that of the stimuli.
➢ Emotional health is related to mental health and
includes feelings.
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 33
 Emotional Dimension
➢ Maintaining one’s own integrity in the presence
of stressful situation such as tension, depression
and anxiety.
‫الحفاظ على سالمة المرء في وجود حالة ضاغطة مثل التوتر‬
.‫واالكتئاب والقلق‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 34

 Emotional Dimension
➢ Emotional Health deals with feeling
‫الصحة العاطفية تهتم بالشعور‬
Health » Balanced Emotion » Happiness
‫الصحة « عاطفة متوازنة « السعادة‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 35

 Spiritual Dimensions

➢ Some people relate health with religion.

➢ for others it has to do with personal values, beliefs,
principles, ways of achieving mental satisfaction,
all are related to their spiritual wellbeing.
➢ It includes integrity, principals and ethics, the
purpose of life, commitments and believes .
‫ والغرض من‬، ‫ المبادىء واالخالقيات‬، ‫يتضمن الكمال واالستقامة‬
. ‫ المعتقدات‬، ‫ اإلرادة والتسليم‬،‫الحياة‬
Abdulsalam Al- Akel 36
 Other Dimensions of Health
1. Philosophical D ‫أبعاد فلسفية‬
2. Cultural D ‫أبعاد ثقافية‬
3. Educational D ‫أبعاد تعليمية‬
4. Nutritional D ‫أبعاد تغذوية‬
5. Curative D ‫أبعاد عالجية‬
6. Preventive D ‫أبعاد وقائية‬

Abdulsalam Al- Akel 37