2.1: Concept of Health and Illness
Health is a condition of the body, mind, and spirit where an individual remains free from illness. Similarly, wellness is an active state, including living a lifestyle that promotes physical, mental, and emotional health. Physical health is critical for the overall well-being and can be affected by lifestyle, activity level, diet, and behavior. The highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental and universal human right. Consider Lisa, a fifteen-year-old born with congenital malformations. Although she requires ongoing treatment for her illness, she is an active class member and takes gymnastics lessons. Would Lisa be described as healthy? Besides her physical condition, how she plans and executes her schedule in her day-to-day life promotes her all-around health.
There are four major concepts in health. The biomedical concept views the human body as a machine, disease as a breakdown of the machine, and the doctor as the one to repair the machine. The ecological concept states that improving human adaptation to the natural environment can lead to a better quality of life. The psychosocial concept states that health is a biological and social phenomenon, and the holistic concept synthesizes all three concepts.
