What is health? According to the WHO, health is the absence of any disease or condition. However, as medical research continues, new diseases and conditions are discovered. Thus, the medical definition of health is not universally accepted and is largely subjective. In fact, people’s subjective feelings about health are irrelevant to the medical definition of health, but only if they match the criteria for defining health. So, how can we measure the health of individuals?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has adopted the ‘complete health’ definition, which is consistent with the biopsychosocial model of health. According to this definition, health is a state of complete physical, psychological, and social wellbeing, encompassing both innate and environmental factors. These factors interact to determine health, and are related to the environment and individual choices. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a human right. The term ‘wellbeing’ means a positive state of being.
The Ottawa charter defines health as “a resource for life, the object of life, and the means of living well.” It highlights the link between health and participation in society. Likewise, health can coexist with disease and impairment. The charter is an ongoing process, but the results are well worth the effort. Here are a few examples of health care. The definition of health is constantly evolving. There is no single answer to the question “What is health?”