Concepts of Health

 Definition of health

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1947).

Concepts of Health
The concept of health as a balance between a person and the environment, the unity of soul and body, and the natural origin of disease, was the backbone of perception.

The new concepts are bound to emerge based on new patterns of thought. The changing concept of health is mainly of four types-

Biomedical Concept -

  • Traditionally health has been viewed as "absence of disease", if one person is free from disease, she/he is considered as healthy.
  • According to this concept health means "absence of disease".
  • This concept of health is based on the "Germ theory of the disease."
  • This concept is known as "Biomedical concept."
  • The limitation of this concept is that, it has minimized the role of environmental, social, psychological and cultural determinants of health.

Ecological Concept -Health implies relative absence of pain and discomfort and a continuous adaptation to the environment to ensure optimal function.This viewed health as a dynamic equilibrium between man & his environment.Ecological and cultural adaptations determine not only the occurrence of disease but also the availability of food and the population explosion

  1. According to this concept, health is a dynamic equilibrium between man and his environment.
  2. Disease is a maladjustment of the human organism to environment.
  3. This concept to support the needs for clean air, safe water and good atmosphere, to protect us from exposure to unhealthy factors.
  4.  If any person is able to adjust himself according to different environmental situation, then he will be considered as a healthy person.

 Psychosocial Concept -

  • Health is not only a biomedical phenomenon, but also one. which is influenced by social, psychological, cultural, economic and political factors of the people concerned.
  • Health is a both biological and social phenomenon.

 Holistic Concept -Synthesis of all the above concepts recognizes strength of social, economic, political & environmental influences on health.

  • Holism means viewing a person's health as balance of body, mind and spirit.
  • Treating only the body will not necessarily restore optimal health. Holistic model is a synthesis of biomedical and ecological and psychosocial concept. 
  • According to this concept, health is multidimensional approach and it is influenced by various factors.
  • Holistic concept recognizes the strength of social, economic, political and environmental influence on health.
  • Holistic concept implies that, all sectors of society have an effect on health, in particular agriculture, food industry, housing, education, animal husbandary, public works and other sectors.

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