Approaches to Health

Faith Fitzgerald discusses how an emphasis on healthy lifestyles has led to a so-called “tyranny of health,” pointing out that the transition to a definition that describes health as complete physical, mental, and social well-being has caused people to confuse the ideal definition of health with the standard for health.

Conceptions of “health” and “illness” have been shaped by cultural beliefs, which is why the definitions of these two expressions have been so difficult to understand, even today. The meaning of “health” and “illness” is constantly changing due to how each culture defines it, how an individual experiences it, and how it is used in the marketing world. Now, in the 21st century, the meaning of health described by every country is generally an individual’s body in good condition, while illness is a sickness that affects the individual’s body. However, Ethan Watters’ “The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan” compares depression and health and illness to show how there is not one specific classification to define what is truly means.

At first glance, the definition of “health” as provided by the World Health Organization seems to be all encompassing. It states that health is dependent on complete well-being of mental, physical, and social faculties. However, with the study of different cultures using a public health perspective, we have learned that cultural aspects that affect disease vary immensely from population to population. While disease is a universal biological concept, social perceptions give an illness its cultural meaning and as we know, these perceptions heavily influence the recognition of the disease itself. If societal perceptions can give a disease a sense of cultural consciousness, then what can be said of their ability to mold a cultural normality. I

In my opinion, health is all encompassing, meaning that it is not merely defined by the absence of disease, but rather it is a combination of factors that contribute to a sense of well-being. Doctor Margaret Newman’s wellness-illness continuum (2003) defines health on a spectrum, with wellness at one end and illness at the other. This concept is one-dimensional and views health negatively, such that if an individual isn’t well, they are ill (Hall, Perry, Potter & Stockert, 2014). Viewing health positively encompasses physical, psychological, social and environmental factors. From this perspective, an individual can be chronically ill, but still achieve wellness if they are living a meaningful life (Hall et al., 2014). To integrate all of these factors, the wellness-illness spectrum incorporates the concept of high level wellness. High level wellness involves an assessment of an individual’s ability to achieve wellness based on their environment, as well as their health

Health refers to unity and harmony within the mind, body and soul. Health is also associated with the degree of congruence between the self as perceived and the self as experienced. Watson noted that illness can result from a troubled inner soul, and illness can lead to disease, but the two concepts do not fall on a continuum and can exist apart from one another (Jean Watson’s theory of nursing, 2012)

Health and illness are terms that are commonly interlinked, and offer a topic of discussion that involves different definitions and viewpoints. For example, health can refer to physical wellness or mental stability. On the other hand, it can be used in non-medical terms, including referring to the health of a country’s economy, or the health of the education system (Kirby, 1997). Due to the varying uses and complexity of the two words, multiple definitions have been established and criticized throughout the years, while multiple sociological perspectives attempted to create a model that accurately explains the concept of health and illness, such as Marxism and functionalism.

Within the inner workings of the medical model, health has been viewed as the absence of illness or disease. Health is a very broad generalization. Being in good health can be concluded from a variety of spectrums. It is stated that “the concepts of health and health care are largely governed by the medical model, more specifically referred to the biomedical model” (Singh & Shi 41). With that concept, we must evaluate the medical model

In this reading, some key points I learned about and had no knowledge of prior to reading this was the vast amount of different sociological perspectives (medical sociology) on illness, health and healthcare. There are so many different theories that can be used to explain parts of history and concepts like feminism, post modernism, social classes and even different structural levels. However, I will admit that some of the concepts were confusing to understand as this dives deeper into the political history of health and health care which I have no prior background knowledge of. However, my takeaway from this reading is that by using a sociological perspective to analyse both health care and health, we should not attempt to use the macro or

The definition of “health is an abstract concept” (Earle et al, 2007). According to The World Health Organisation health is defined as “ a state of complete physical, mental and social-well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO constitution, 1946). The WHO definition of health has regularly been scrutinised due to lack of mention of sexual, emotional, and spiritual health. People define health differently throughout their lives e.g a child may define being healthy as the ability to attend school, the elderly “ define health more in the terms of being able to look after yourself and declining health as an inevitable part of aging (Lawton, 2003). Inequality the focus of my essay is defined as the “difference is size, degree or circumstance” (Google,2017). I aim to discuss a range of different social determinants of health, the social gradient scale and how the degree of inequity and inequality varies within populations within and between countries.

This an interesting take one the subjectivity of health and illness and how our perception of it largely plays a role on how we see our health status and our illness states.

Within the UK, just as the concept of health is socially constructed, people’s health and ill-health varies geographically and through the different strata of society (Black Report, 1890).

Health is a varying form of perspective, deeply rooted in an individual’s upbringing and circumstance. Health is an end to which there are multiple and different means. There are many different aspects that make up a person’s life, and all of those aspects can be attributed to that individual’s health. When considering a person’s health, other facts besides just scientific numbers and statistics— are important to take into account. Some of the largest influential aspects of health are geographical heritage, cultural background, and an individual’s own personal experience. All of these factors can aid in the study of epidemiology.

It will define the lay perspective of health and illness (traditional ideas about health and cross-cultural perspectives of health) and relate it to the biomedical and social models of health.

The definition of Illness and health is believe by some people that Good luck decides on a person health. Other people believe that health is a gift from god and that o be health we have to have faith in him and to have a balance between foods and a healthy habits. Some thinks that having a good relation with good is rewarded by having a good health.

The definition of health has been the most perplexing issue from inception (Earle 2007 ; Green and Labonte 2008). The subjective nature of health and variation of the understanding of health, at different times and across different cultures has informed the perception of health as a broad concept, with a range of different meanings (Naidoo and Wills 2009; Blaxter 2010; Green et al 2015). However, these unique perceptions of health; which ultimately influence health behaviours, are changing over the years because humans are dynamic beings with ever changing health needs (Costello and Haggart 2003; Naidoo and Wills 2009; Rayner and Lang 2012). Since, the “lay” definition of public health is the health of the public, the way health is understood will directly affect public health practice (Rayner & Lang 2012; Green et al 2015). Public health as discipline, as well as public health intervention has over the years become a contested and debated by different people working to understand and improve health (Tones and Green 2004 ; Scriven and Garman 2007 ; Green et al 2015 ).