Well Being
You are healthy when you have the absence of disease Not JUST the absence of disease
Feeling good in many ways
Therefore, if you don’t have a disease, you are healthy Holistic Concept of Health
Spiritual health
Physical Health
Psychological health
Sociological HealthEnvironmental Health
The World Health Organisation
(WHO)
• “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” ( http://www.who.int/about/en/) Do you think this is a positive or negative concept of health? Is it a holistic concept of health? Explain your answer.
M1
“I don’t think I know when I’m healthy, I only know if I’m ill”,
Office worker aged 28;
Blaxter 1990
“My health is a reflection of my lifestyle –
I need to be spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically whole to be truly healthy.
I believe complete wholeness is only attainable through reconciliation with God”
Herbalist; Stainton Rogers 1991
Harvard Reference:
BLAXTER, M (2004), Health, Cornwall: Polity
M1
• “Health is to feel proud - when you can go out and you can hold up your head, look good. You don’t have so many hang-ups, and you think straight”
Computer Operator, 25; Blaxter 1990
• “Health is being able to walk around better and doing some work in the house when my knees let me. ”
Woman of 79; Blaxter 1990
• “…illness is a kind of rest, when you can be free of your every-day burdens… for me; illness is