Health: Should We Define Health?
Health: Should We Define Health?
Health: Should We Define Health?
1948 WHO definition of health “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity” – WHO Constitution
So how do we in WHO intend to play our part? We fully support the design and implementation
of policies and strategies for health and wellbeing. Our history over the last 30 years in
promoting throughout Europe the WHO Health for All policy, and in initiating a new health
policy for Europe, Health 2020, gives ample proof of where we stand. Yesterday I outlined for
you the proposed vision and goals of Health 2020. Health 2020 will show us the way here,
including the latest evidence and good practice within a value-based framework that puts health
and well-being at the core of human and societal development. Social solidarity, universal
access to health care and the shared values of equity, sustainability, participation and dignity
are deeply rooted in the value system of the European Region. They were most recently
expressed 6 collectively within the Tallinn Charter: Health Systems for Health and Wealth, to
which my Office remains fully committed In this present climate of financial crisis and
uncertainty, these values are being shaken by those intent only on cutting financial costs. We
believe that the need for a strong value-based policy framework has become even more critical.
This is the challenge that Health 2020 will meet. It will provide the overall framework through
which all our work can be channelled, and the values against which we can judge the actions
to be taken. We also believe that a new approach, engaging the whole of society and the whole
of government is essential. Health 2020 will provide the overall blueprint, within which we can
build for a future where the human right to health is inalienable, and where health and wellbeing
are central components of development. As part of the development of Health 2020 we are
working on the development of European targets for health in six domains, one of which is
well-being. We have conducted a literature review on well-being indicators and composite
indices. I do not have time to go into the details of this work, but the results will be considered
by a working group of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee and incorporated
into the fully developed Health 2020 policy, which will be considered by the WHO Regional
Committee for Europe in Malta in September 2012. However, in summary, the literature offers
recommendations on both the domains of measurement of well-being and indicators in the
areas of economics, health, education, societal and community participation, and the
environment. Measures of subjective well-being are emphasized, and the literature seems to
indicate that self-reported health status and health perception correlate well with observed
health status. I have high hopes 7 that this work will take us a long way forward in being able
to characterize and describe well-being in a way that both gives the concept meaning and
allows, as with mortality and morbidity, comparability and debate.