1.1 Concept of Health

Unit 1: Primary Health Care(PHC)
Sub Unit 1.1

Health care of people: Concept of Health
Concept of Health
 Health is evolved over the centuries as a concept
from individual concern to worldwide social goal
and encompasses the whole quality of life.
 Health is of a dynamic nature since it is always
changing.
 Changing concept of health are:
Biomedical concept
Ecological concept
Psychosocial concept
Holistic concept
Biomedical concept
 Traditionally health has been viewed as an “absence
of disease”, and if one was free from disease the
person was considered healthy.
 It is based on the Germ theory of disease.
 The medical profession viewed the body as a
machine, disease as a consequences of the
breakdown of the machine and the doctor’s task was
to repair the machine.
 The criticism that is leveled against the biomedical
concept is that it has minimized the role of the
environmental, social, psychological and cultural
determinants of health.
Ecological Concept
 Ecological concept views health as a dynamic
equilibrium between man and his environment.
 Disease is a maladjustment of the human organism
to the environment.
 Improvement in human adaptation to natural
environments can lead to longer life expectancies
and a better quality of life even in the absence of
modern health delivery services.
 The ecological concept raises two issues, viz.
imperfect man and imperfect environment.
Psychosocial concept
 Health is both a biological and sociological
phenomenon.
 Health is not only a biomedical phenomenon but one
which is influenced by social, psychological,
cultural, economic and political factors.
Holistic concept
 The holistic model is a synthesis of all the above
concepts. It recognizes the strength of social,
economic, political and environmental influence on
health.
 The holistic approach implies that all sectors of
society have an effect on health, in particular,
agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry,
education, housing, public works, communications,
and other sectors.
 The emphasis is on the promotion and protection of
health.
Spectrum of Health
Definition of Health
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and
social wellbeing and not merely an absence of disease
or infirmity”.
-WHO
“The state of being free from illness and injury”
-Oxford Dictionary
“The condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit;
especially freedom from physical disease or pain.”
-Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Dimension of Health
 Health is multidimensional.
 It is not just about physical health, but includes
many other aspects that affects health.
 WHO explained health in three dimensional
perspectives Physical, Mental and Social Health.
 Besides them other dimension of Health includes,
Spiritual, Emotional, Environmental, Occupational,
Intellectual, Socio-political, Cultural etc.
Dimension of Health
1. Physical dimension
 Physical dimension of health refers to the bodily
aspect of health.
 Physical health can affect the other dimensions of
health as a decline in physical health can result in a
decline in other forms of health.
 E.g. a person who suddenly gets the flu is often
isolated socially as to not infect others, struggles to
focus in order to study or learn anything new, and
may feel sad as a result of their isolation.
Perfect Every Organ Optimum
Functioning and Cell Capacity
• Good complexion, fair skin

External • Proportionate height & weight
• Functioning of all organs

Internal • Functioning of all system
2. Mental Dimension
 According to WHO, mental health is “a state of well-
being in which an individual realizes his or her own
abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can
work productively and is able to make a contribution to
his or her community.
 Mental Health is not merely the absence of mental
illness.
 A state of balance between the individual and the
surrounding world, a state of harmony between oneself
and others, a coexistence between the realities of the
self and that of other people and that of the
environment.
 Some major Psychiatric Illnesses like Depression and
Schizophrenia have biological component.
Attributes of a Mentally Healthy Person:
 Free from internal conflicts, is not at war with him
or herself
 Well adjusted: Is able to get along well with others.
Accepts criticism and is not easily upset
 Searches for Identity
 Has a strong sense of self esteem
 Knows oneself, ones needs, problems and goals
(this is known as self actualization)
 Has good self control, balances rationality and
emotionality
 Faces problems and tries to solve them intelligently,
i.e., coping with stress and anxiety
3. Social Dimension
 Social wellbeing implies “ Quality and quantity of
an individuals interpersonal ties and the extent of
involvement with the community.
 Good social health includes not only having
relationships but behaving appropriately within
them and maintaining socially acceptable standards.
 The basic social unit of relationship is the family,
and these relationships impact a persons life the
most. Other key relationships are close friends,
social networks, teachers etc.
 Social health affects the other dimensions of health
in many ways.
 A bad social life can lead a person to question their
purpose in life or feel isolated and unwanted. Such
feelings can demotivate people from physical
activity and lead them towards depression.
Individuals
Harmony and
Community
Integration
World
4. Spiritual dimension
 Spiritual health relates to our sense of overall
purpose in life.
 A person who has purpose to life is said to be
healthier than those who don’t see a purpose to life.
 Spiritual health affects emotional and mental health
as having a purpose in life can help you to apply
yourself to achieving goals.
 Having a purpose to life can also help people to
maintain a proper perspective on life and overcome
adversity.
 Spiritual people often meet together regularly
around their spiritual purpose, which helps to
improve their social health.
5. Emotional dimension
• Emotional health is about the persons mood or
general emotional state.
• It is our ability to recognize and express feelings
adequately.
• The relationship between emotional and mental
health is clear and as such some illnesses relate to
both, such as: depression and anxiety.
• Emotional health affects the other dimensions of
health as a person with a good self esteem is more
confident in social settings, makes friends quickly
and often performs better in physical activity.
6. Environmental health
 The environmental dimension encompasses a
healthy relationship with the earth and its resources,
and a healthy relationship with your personal
surroundings.
 It means being intentional about:
Protecting yourself from environmental hazards,
such as noise, chemicals, pollution and
ultraviolet radiation.
Conserving resources and leading a lifestyle that
is respectful of your immediate surroundings, the
community in which you live, and the planet.
 Recycle, reduce waste and conserve energy and
water.
7. Occupational health
 Field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare
of people at work.
 The goal of an occupational safety and health
program is to foster a safe and healthy occupational
environment
 A wide array of workplace hazards possess risks to
the health and safety of people at work.
 It include chemicals, biological agents, physical
factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens,
 It’s the role of OSH professionals to prevent injuries
and illnesses, providing OSH information to
employers, employees, and the public.
8. Other dimensions
 Other dimensions of health includes intellectual
health, Socio-political, educational, nutritional,
curative etc.
Characteristics features of
physically healthy person
 A healthy person exhibits certain characteristics which are
the key traits reflecting sound health of that person.
 These characteristics can be seen very clear with our naked
eyes.
 Following are the characteristics of a physically healthy
individual-
Maintenance of normal weight
Right posture
Flawless skin
Healthy eyes
Healthy hair
 Features are symmetrical
 Good grip and flexibility
 Low resting heart rate
 Blood pressure is within normal range
 Blood glucose is within normal range
 Response time is normal
 Respiration is normal
 Disease free body
Example of physically healthy person:
 A physically fit individual always follows healthy habits
which are signs of physical fitness.
 He eats properly i.e., his appetite is good. He neither over
eats or under eats his meals and always enjoys a well-
balanced, healthy nutritious meal.
 He gets his adequate sleep daily and shows no signs of
disturbed sleep or insomnia.
 He hydrates his body well by drinking required amount of
water and shows no signs of dehydration.
 He follows an exercise regime and do not believe in
sedentary lifestyle.
 He avoids drinking coffee, tea, alcohol and stays away from
smoking, drug addiction and other such sorts of harmful
addictions.
mentally healthy person
 People are hesitant to use mental health services because of
the “stigma "attached to it.
 Society views mental health issues differently from medical
ones.
 When someone breaks a leg, has chest pains, or needs to get
a prescription, they’ll see a doctor. However, when they
experience depression, excessive fears, or a problem with
alcohol, they may be embarrassed to seek help.
 Many people view these conditions as “weaknesses” they
should handle themselves.
Following are the characteristics of mentally healthy person:
1. They feel good about themselves.
2. They do not become overwhelmed by emotions, such as
fear, anger, love, jealousy, guilt, or anxiety.
3. They have lasting and satisfying personal relationships.
4. They feel comfortable with other people.
5. They can laugh at themselves and with others.
6. They have respect for themselves and for others even if
there are differences.
7. They are able to accept life’s disappointments.
8. They can meet life’s demands and handle their problems
when they arise.
9. They make their own decisions.
10. They shape their environment whenever possible and
adjust to it when necessary.
Example of Mentally Healthy person:
 Spends quality time with close friends and family.
 Works in a job or finds an activity that is meaningful, which
can provide a sense of purpose.
 Learns a new skill such as painting, singing, knitting, or a
foreign language which can provide a sense of pride and
achievement.
 Finds a hobby (such as gardening, playing sport, cooking, or
arts and craft).
 Has someone to talk to who can provide support and
reassurance.
 Eats healthily and exercise regularly.
 Spends time with people who share similar interests.
 Experiences new things such as trying different foods,
travelling, or meeting new people.
socially healthy person
 Social health can be defined as our ability to interact and
form meaningful relationships with others.
 It also relates to how comfortably we can adapt in social
situations.
 Social relationships have an impact on our mental health,
physical health and mortality risk.
 Our social health and social wellness are a vital part of our
overall health and wellbeing.
Following are the characteristics of socially healthy person:
 Coworkers who work well together and respect each other
both personally and professionally.
 Family members who look forward to spending time
together and communicate well.
 Spouses who trust each other to discuss challenges in their
relationship.
 Friends who bond over mutual interests and who trust one
another.
Example of socially healthy person:
 Having assertive skills rather than passive or aggressive
ones.
 Balancing your social and personal time.
 Being engaged with other people in the community.
 Adapting in social situations .
 Being yourself in all situations.
 Treating others with respect.
 Being able to develop and maintain friendships and
networks.
 Creating boundaries in friendships to encourage
communication and conflict management.
 Having a supportive network of family and friends.
 Having fun in life .

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Unit 1: Primary Health Care(PHC)

Sub Unit 1.1

• Good complexion, fair skin

• Functioning of all organs

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