What Are ‘Health and Wellbeing’?

2021 ◽  
pp. 42-54
Author(s):  
David Beaumont
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equal Weight ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Concept Of Health ◽  
The Social ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Existential Dimension

What is health? What is wellbeing? Various definitions of health explored: a common-sense definition first. The health of middle-aged men and the effectiveness (or otherwise) of health and wellbeing programmes (including smartphone apps) in the workplace. US occupational physician, Dr Ray Fabius’ finding that such programmes work only in workplaces with a culture of health. Definition of health: the WHO’s definition (‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’), rejected as an unworkable tool; and one proposed in The Lancet in 2003 as ‘the ability to adapt’. Radically, this definition sees a patient in the context of their current life; the doctor’s role is to help the patient adapt to their prevailing condition. The social determinants of health. Dr Machteld Huber’s definition in The BMJ: ‘health is the ability to adapt and self-manage’. Her subsequent research and definition of six domains in which health manifested. Patients and nurses gave all six about equal weight, but policymakers rated bodily functions as much more important. Doctors rated the spiritual/existential dimension lower than patients. Patient-centred model of medical practice proposed that gives equal weight to all six. Moving towards a positive concept of health. Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ from his 1943 paper ‘A theory of human motivation’ explained. Professor Martin Seligman, former president of the American Psychological Association, and the concept of flourishing. Seligman’s five components of wellbeing in the PERMA model. Author’s definition of positive health.

Alcohol Problem Prevention: A “Common Sense” Approach

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-393
Author(s):  
Selden D. Bacon
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Direct Methods ◽  
The United States ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Common ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Alcohol Related Problems ◽  
Social Science Approach

In view of the low likelihood of the acceptance of the social science approach to alcohol problems proposed several years ago, a “common sense” approach is suggested as an alternative. Several assumptions guide this proposal, the principal one being the absence of any significant progress in the reduction of alcohol problems in the United States over the past 200 years. By the development of a common vocabulary and direct methods of observation and data collection, the “common sense” approach would provide for identifying the strengths of the multitude of past and current efforts in dealing with alcohol problems in terms of both intervention and prevention. The guiding criterion in such an approach would be the impact on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, the definition of which would be a major task of the research.

The scale of the problem

Psychiatry ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca McKnight ◽  
Jonathan Price ◽  
John Geddes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Clinical Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Social ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Health Organization

One in four individuals suffer from a psychiatric disorder at some point in their life, with 15– 20 per cent fitting cri­teria for a mental disorder at any given time. The latter corresponds to around 450 million people worldwide, placing mental disorders as one of the leading causes of global morbidity. Mental health problems represent five of the ten leading causes of disability worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in mid 2016 that ‘the global cost of mental illness is £651 billion per year’, stating that the equivalent of 50 million working years was being lost annually due to mental disorders. The financial global impact is clearly vast, but on a smaller scale, the social and psychological impacts of having a mental dis­order on yourself or your family are greater still. It is often difficult for the general public and clin­icians outside psychiatry to think of mental health dis­orders as ‘diseases’ because it is harder to pinpoint a specific pathological cause for them. When confronted with this view, it is helpful to consider that most of medicine was actually founded on this basis. For ex­ample, although medicine has been a profession for the past 2500 years, it was only in the late 1980s that Helicobacter pylori was linked to gastric/ duodenal ul­cers and gastric carcinoma, or more recently still that the BRCA genes were found to be a cause of breast cancer. Still much of clinical medicine treats a patient’s symptoms rather than objective abnormalities. The WHO has given the following definition of mental health:… Mental health is defined as a state of well- being in which every individual realizes his or her own po­tential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.… This is a helpful definition, because it clearly defines a mental disorder as a condition that disrupts this state in any way, and sets clear goals of treatment for the clinician. It identifies the fact that a disruption of an individual’s mental health impacts negatively not only upon their enjoyment and ability to cope with life, but also upon that of the wider community.

scholarly journals Understandings of Health

AAOHN Journal ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 330-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pat Ness
Keyword(s):  
Educational Institution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Significant Determinant ◽  
Health Organizations ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Individual Health ◽  
Concept Of Health ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Definition Of Health ◽  
Definition Of

The purpose of the study was to discover what the concept of health means to the participants and to determine how an organization can assist its members in developing and maintaining their notion of health. The participants for this study were drawn from the employees at a post secondary educational institution. Tape recorded interviews were transcribed by the researcher, and the transcripts were analyzed for common topics and predominant themes. Imbedded in the data were four themes that provided an over arching conceptual framework from which to view health and health promoting activities: well being as a broad definition of health; the concept of balance as a prime contributor to health; the notion of self efficacy in determining one's health, and the value of caring as a significant determinant of health. Findings of the study have significance for individual health, organizations and health, health promoters, and further research.

Unlocking the social domain in sustainable development

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Domain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Academic Search ◽  
Untapped Resource

Purpose – Beginning with a multitude of differing definitions and theories of CSR and sustainability, an analysis of the effects and impacts of the social domain to remain an untapped resource to strengthen and merge the practice of sustainable development. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing a systematic review of literature between 1977 and 2013 about CSR and sustainability definitions and theories to reveal knowledge fragmentation in the use of the social domain and its implications within sustainable development. Findings – Identifies the gaps of the social domain in sustainable development and raises awareness to advance sustainable development beyond current sustainable development strategies, initiatives and practices. The pertinent publications from the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the systematic literature review were analyzed to determine how the social domain is used and interpreted in CSR and sustainability. Based upon the findings, four themes represent the social domain as socio-economics, stakeholders, societal well-being and social sustainability with suggestions for further research. Research limitations/implications – The systematic literature review searched one academic search engine and focussed on journals and books written in English. Originality/value – The contribution of the paper highlights, first, how an underdeveloped social domain can contribute toward multiple meanings of sustainable development and the social domain’s untapped capacity to develop a clearer standard definition of sustainable development and second, the potential to advance competitive advantage for corporations and governments.

scholarly journals Positive health as a new concept for physiotherapy in the Netherlands?

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
C M A De Bot ◽  
C Boemaars ◽  
J A J Dierx
Keyword(s):  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Dutch Association ◽  
Dutch Health ◽  
Professional Profile ◽  
Definition Of

Abstract Background The current WHO definition of health seems to no longer meet the changes in the current Dutch health system. An alternative approach which puts emphasis on health, not disease, is Positive Health. This focus shifts the emphasis on improving resilience and well-being rather than the perspective on what is lacking in health. In 2014, this new definition of Positive health was included in the professional profile ’physiotherapist’ of the Royal Dutch Association for Physiotherapy. This study examines the attitude of physiotherapists to Positive Health and to what extent they experience this concept in their current working practice. Methods A mixed method study was used, with a quantitative and qualitative method. A survey was completed by 276 physiotherapists and 7 semi-structured interviews were conducted among physiotherapists. Results Positive health was considered positive by 68% of the physiotherapists that health is seen as a dynamic concept rather than static, and 60.5% consider it important that the emphasis is on self-regulation. However, physiotherapists wonder if all patients have the ability to self-manage skills. The qualitative analysis shows that all therapists find the new definition positive and that it covers all aspects of health. Conclusions In general, physiotherapists are positive about the definition of positive health. Positive health can help physiotherapists in their work with clients and other professionals because of the multidisciplinary approach. Key messages Positive health can help physiotherapists to promote health in their clients. Positive health can stimulate cooperation between physiotherapists and client to increase self-management.

scholarly journals Defining the Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rene Canady ◽  
Jorge Jimenez ◽  
Danesh Thirukumaran
Keyword(s):  
Social Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Experience ◽  
Population Statistics ◽  
The Social ◽  
Genetic Makeup ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Based Medicine ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Historical Uses

Race describes cultural, historical, and oppressive relationships in society. The use of race in biomedical and scientific studies has been a powerful tool that can reinforce and alter society’s current assumptions about race. Some of the historical uses of race include evidence for race-based medicine, biological inferiority, and genocide. These uses have all used race as a crude proxy for genetic makeup, rather than a biological expression of the social environment that infiltrates the health and well-being of every American. By defining race and its social and cultural impacts on identity and the human experience within research, the field of biomedicine will improve clarity and integrity in addressing historical, scientific, and clinical inequalities. Currently, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) does not contain a definition of race and uses homogeneous ethnical categories when reporting population statistics. We propose that the definition of race be added in the collection of race data as a requirement of the OMB for nationally conducted research.

scholarly journals Some social values driven from verses about believer's characteristics, and the educational applications of these values: بعض القيم الاجتماعية المستنبطة من آيات صفات المؤمنين وتطبيقاتها التربوية

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rawan Mansour Bakhit Al-Qathami
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Social Values ◽  
The People ◽  
The Social ◽  
Educational Applications ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

This research aims at investigating some social values at Surat Almu'mnoon at the Holy Qura'n, as well as the effects of these values and their educational applications. The descriptive and the deductive methods are used in this research, The research deals with the definition of the believers, the social values, and some verses of the characteristics of believers and the social values included in them, in addition to the effects of these values and their educational applications. The most important findings of the research are: the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice include an inclusive meaning, which is the call for all what Allah loves and approves from the imposed right deeds which are acquaintance with people. Moreover, prevention of vice, taboos and things that contradict the right common sense. The values of for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice are basics of the fundamentals of religion and are bulwarks for the believers that keep the people away from the temptations and the evil of sins and vice.

scholarly journals Well-being, capabilities and philosophical practice

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 105-120
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Bulatovic
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Philosophical Practice ◽  
The Social ◽  
Unique Definition ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Assess Quality

The concept of well being has become the main criterion to assess quality of life in contemporary society. Individual well-being describes the individual quality of life, while social well-being refers to quality of life in a society. Given that well-being has a multitude of dimensions, a unique definition of it is elusive to scholars. In this article social well-being is conceptualised as a dynamic process within the context set by social integration as one?s relationship to society and the community. This includes the quality of interaction between the individual and society and one?s ?social actualisation? understood as the realisation of one?s social capacities. Social actualisation also involves one?s ability to influence social processes and to benefit from social cohesion, which consists, in any society, of the quality, organisation and functioning of the social world. Hence the ability to impact society is an integral part of individual well being. This paper suggests that philosophical practice as a new paradigm in the humanities holds out promise for the improvement of both individual and social well-being.

Understanding the Australian Aboriginal experience of collective, historical and intergenerational trauma

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1522-1534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
Australian Aboriginal ◽  
The Social ◽  
Definition Of

This article provides a summary of the evolving definition of trauma, including different forms of trauma and its impact on the health, behaviours and well-being of individuals and communities. Specifically, it discusses collective, historical and intergenerational trauma and the value of these concepts in understanding the health and social challenges we see within colonized Indigenous communities, particularly within Australian Aboriginal communities. The article argues that the current approach to addressing challenges within Australian Indigenous communities will have limited impact unless accompanied by a significant focus on understanding and addressing the level of trauma that permeates these communities. Programmes and initiatives that focus on reducing the rates of certain variables, such as rates of infant mortality, rates of incarceration or rates of school completion, are very important but are only treating symptoms unless the underlying trauma is addressed. Due to the ongoing devastation caused by many years of forced child removal, this is especially important for health, legal and welfare practitioners within the child protection system and the social work field if we are to break the cycles of family and cultural disruption.

2014 Buenos Aires Declaration on Humanism and Science in Latin America for Person Centered Medicine

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-218
Author(s):  
International College of Person Centered Medicine
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Dynamic State ◽  
Concept Of Health ◽  
Monte Alban ◽  
American Medicine ◽  
Religious Dimensions ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
And Behavior

 Pre-Colombian medicine, initially identified in La Venta or Monte Alban as Mesoamerican civilized centers, like the Maya, Azteca and Inca cultures, was expressed within their cosmology in a religious-magical context in which the state of health or illness were strictly related to conditions of balance or imbalance. Their concept of health relies on a fundamental balance among the physical, social and religious dimensions of the person. Moderation in diet, exercise and behavior was considered essential for a healthy life. Prehispanic American medicine vision was holistic and integrative in context and in beliefs and was consistent with concepts of medicine and health in the earliest Asian and Hellenic civilizations, all of them fundamental roots of a medicine centered in the totality of the person. These historic notions are reflected in the comprehensive definition of health inscribed in the Constitution of the World Health Organization which refers to a dynamic state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.

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