CHAPTER 1 CONCEPTS OF HEALTH and WELLNESS

HEALTH
is a word that was derived from the old English word for heal which is HAEL. it means whole because health concerns the whole person and his / her integrity, soundness or well-being. it is holistic (total health) and it includes

the different dimensions of health taking into account the separate influences and interaction of these dimensions.

 Cottrell (2oo1) claims that the WHO definition is an ideal state which is: just a goal to strive for but can never be achieved since no one can ever attain a state of complete mental, physical, and social wellbeing. since there are different levels of health ranging from good health to poor health, then the definition of health should be eXpressed as a state of mental, physical, spiritual and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Environmental

mental

social

emotional

spiritual

physical

seXual

Societal
THE DIMENSIONS OF HEALTH

DIMENSIONS OF HEALTH
1) BROADER- dimensions of health in the outer circle which are environmental and societal dimensions; 2) INDIVIDUAL dimensions of health in the inner circle which are:

a) Physical health which refers to the state of ones body like its fitness and not being ill.

b) Mental health referring to the positive sense of purpose and underlying belief in ones own worth (self-esteem) like feeling good and feeling able to cope. c) Emotional health which is the ability to eXpress ones feelings appropriately and to develop and sustain relationships. Example: feeling of being loved.

d) Social health which involves the support system that is available from family members and friends. Having friends to talk to and being involved with the activities in the community or school contributes to social health (No man is an island). e) Spiritual health which is the recognition of a Supreme Being or Force and the ability to put into practice ones moral principles or beliefs.

f) Sexual health which refers to the acceptance of and the ability to achieve a satisfactory eXpression of ones seXuality. g) Societal health - which is the link between health and the way a society is structured. This includes the basic infrastructure necessary for health (e.g. shelter, food, peace, income) and the degree of integration or division within the society h) Environmental health - which refers to the physical environment where people live; it includes housing, transport , sanitation, pollution and pure water facilities.

HEALTH (WHO)
The World Health Organization (WHO, 1946) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity. This concept of all dimensions being in a state of completeness seems unattainable and can only eXist in

an ideal state.

 Cottrell (2oo1) claims that the WHO definition is an ideal state which is: just a goal to strive for but can never be achieved since no one can ever attain a state of complete mental, physical, and social wellbeing. since there are different levels of health ranging from good health to poor health, then the definition of health should be eXpressed as a state of mental, physical, spiritual and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Key Words:
PHYSICAL HEALTH is the biological integrity of an individual where there is optimum functioning of his physical and physiological abilities and freedom from any disease or disability. MENTAL HEALTH (or psychological health and emotional health) is the subjective sense of well-being; may also refer to intellectual

capabilities.

 SOCIAL HEALTH is the ability to interact effectively with other people and the social environment; development and sustenance of satisfying interpersonal relationship; and effective and efficient role fulfillment. SPIRITUAL HEALTH or PERSONAL HEALTH a way that may be concerned with ones belief in a transcending, unifying force (whether its basis is in nature, scientific law, or a godlike source. It has also been associated with the concept of self-actualization and concern for issues which affect ones value system.

HEALTH (Orem)
a state characterized by soundness and wholeness of human structure, bodily and mental functions. Health is considered as the goal of public health in general and of community health in particular. Modern concept of health: optimum level of functioning (OLOF) of individuals,

families, and communities which is affected by several factors in the ecosystem.

Factors in the Ecosystem which Affect the Optimum Level of Functioning (OLOF)
1) Political Factors involve power and authority to
regulate the environment or social climate. Examples: safety, oppression, people empowerment.

2) Behavioral refers to a persons level of functioning and is affected by certain habits, their lifestyle, health care and child rearing practices which are determined by ones culture and ethnic heritage.

culture, habits, mores, and ethnic customs.

Examples:

3) Hereditary refers

to the understanding of genetically influenced diseases and genetic risk. It includes congenital defects, strengths, and health risks which can be familial, ethnic or racial. 4) Health care delivery system Primary health care is a partnership approach to the effective provision of essential health services that are communitybased, accessible, acceptable, sustainable and affordable.

The focus of healthcare is in the promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative aspects of care.

5) Environmental influences Factors or situations which eXert negative

effects on the environment and which put a tremendous strain on the destruction of the environmental resources:

The menace of pollution, communicable diseases due to poor sanitation, poor garbage collection, smoking , utilization of pesticides,

 lack or absence of proper and adequate waste and sewerage disposal system and management urban/rural milieu, noise radiation air and water pollution

6) Socio-economic influence
Families in lower income group are the ones mostly served. Examples: employment, education and housing.

Health as a Basic Human Rights is embodied in:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Art. 25, Sec. 1 which states that: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Philippine Constitution of 1987

Art. XIII, Sec. 11, states that: The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical services to paupers.

World Health Organization (1995)

Believes that governments have a responsibility for the health of their people which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures. It emphasizes three basic positive concepts of health which are:

1) Reflecting concern for the individual as a total person;

2) Placing health in the conteXt of the environment, and, 3) Equating health with productive and creative living.

Health and Wellness as conceived in todays world

Greenberg, Donatelle, Davis viewed the philosophy of wellness as a positive quality (as opposed to illness being always negative) and visualized it as the integration of the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, environmental and social dimensions of health to form a whole healthy person. This philosophy of wellness is grounded on the belief that everyone can achieve optimal health and some level of wellness when they have developed the siX dimensions of health to the best of their ability.

 Dunn

emphasized high-level wellness (HLW) as an integrated method of functioning which is oriented capable of. It is the ability to maintain a continuum of balance and purposeful direction within the environment where he/she is functioning.

Health and wellness are two concepts which have been used interchangeably to mean the ability to live life fully with vitality and meaning. But there is really a difference: 1) Some aspects of health are determined by genes, age and other factors which may be beyond ones control. 2) Whereas, wellness is largely determined by the decisions you make about how to live your life, wellness is now the new health goal.

3) Wellness is really a (awareness of the choices available for a healthy lifestyle), a way of life which involve options that an individual takes to enjoy a healthy life; the perception that one is capable of achieving ones full potentials through the options one has in relation to being well; it is the integration of mind, body and spirit; the level of selfactualization where one feels that he has lived a full and accomplished life.

Can one be well in spite of being ill?

The

answer is YES!!

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord

They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep in to the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8(NLT)