The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as "... a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1948). The WHO's definition of health may have been relevant to the world years ago, but it seems like it is time for a revamp. The absence of disease does not necessarily indicate optimal health, but I still believe someone living with an illness can be defined as healthy. In my opinion, this definition of health does not encompass some of the most important aspects of what should define health. Such as taking into consideration the different perceptions of each individual person and how they interpret the meaning of health. I truly believe the definition of health is very much subjective to who is defining it.
I decided to start my journey to find a more modern definition of health by looking at a variety of different videos. Check them out:
This video addresses some major limitations to the World Health Organizations definition of health. The video highlights research conducted by Machteld Huber, the founder of the Institute for Positive Health.
Huber argues that the use of the word "complete" in reference to well-being is a major flaw in the WHO's definition. Huber also implies that health should be defined as the ability to cope with and manage life's challenges and to adapt to ones surroundings (Huber, 2011).
"Just as environmental scientists describe the health of the earth as the capacity of a complex system to maintain a stable environment within a relatively narrow range, we propose the formulation of health as the ability to adapt and to self manage" (Huber, 2011).
This video was developed by Halton Region Public Health. The video illustrates the key role of the social determinants of health and how they are directly linked to our overall health and well-being. The video also identifies that there is a close relationship between income and health.
I believe the definition of health requires a much needed update, but what would this look like in todays world?
An article titled Toward a Contemporary Definition of Health states that health must encompass the dimensions of wellness such as spiritual, emotional and social context as well as take into consideration the influences of behaviour and overall surroundings (Bradley et al., 2018). This article also outlines that health and illness can coincide with one another (Bradley et al., 2018). I very much agree with this more modern-day definition of health. Particularly the acknowledgement that if one has been diagnosed with a disease or disability, they can still be defined as healthy. I also agree that an updated definition of health should take into account the many different dimensions of wellness.
According to Leonardi (2018) the World Health Organizations definition of health is no longer sufficient to meet the emerging issues that our health care systems are facing, such as the increasing aging population (Leonardi, 2018). Life expectancy has increased significantly since the WHO’s definition of health was developed, and in today's world, managing multiple diseases is extremely common. Again, a major flaw in the World Health Organizations definition of health, is that health must be a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being (WHO, 1948). An article titled The Definition of Health: Towards New Perspectives identifies a concern with regards to this statement, recognizing that this is practically impossible to attain (Leonardi, 2018). An updated definition should include a more holistic approach, incorporating the many factors that can influence our overall health. Research by Bradley et al. (2018) argued that it is essential that a modern definition of health integrates the determinants of health.
I do think there needs to be consideration for an entirely new definition of health, perhaps broadening the scope to develop a definition that is accurate for more people. However, I feel that it would be extremely difficult to be inclusive of the many different perceptions of how health should be defined.
References:
Bradley, K. L., Goetz, T., & Viswanathan, S. (2018). Toward a Contemporary Definition of Health. Military Medicine, 3, 204. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usy213
Huber, M. (2011). Health: How should we define it? British Medical Journal, 343,(7817), 235-237. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4163
Leonardi, F. (2018). The Definition of Health: Towards New Perspectives. International Journal of Health Services, 48(4), 735–748. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731418782653
World Health Organization. (1948, April 7). Constitution of the World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/gb/bd/PDF/bd47/EN/constitution-en.pdf?ua=1
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