Changing concept of health
The changing concept of health forms the basis of all health care. Health is perceived differently by various members of a community, including different professional groups such as biomedical scientists, social science specialists, health administrators, ecologists, etc., leading to confusion about the concept of health. In a world of continuous change, new concepts are bound to emerge based on new patterns of thought. Health has evolved over centuries from an individual concern to a worldwide social goal, encompassing the overall quality of life. A brief account of the changing concepts of health is provided below.
- Biomedical concept
Traditionally, health has been viewed as the “absence of disease,” where being free from disease indicates good health. This perspective, known as the “biomedical concept,” is rooted in the “germ theory of disease” prevalent in medical thought at the turn of the 20th century. The medical profession considered the human body as a machine, with disease as a consequence of machine breakdown, and the doctor’s role as machine repair. Criticism has been directed at the biomedical concept for minimizing the role of environmental, social, psychological, and cultural determinants of health. Despite its success in treating diseases, the biomedical model proved inadequate for addressing major societal issues such as malnutrition, chronic diseases, accidents, drug abuse, mental illness, environmental pollution, and population explosion.
2. Ecological concept
Deficiencies in the biomedical concept led to the emergence of other concepts. Ecologists proposed an attractive hypothesis that views health as a dynamic equilibrium between man and his environment, considering disease as a maladjustment of the human organism to the environment. Human ecological and cultural adaptations not only determine disease occurrence but also influence food availability and population growth. The ecological concept highlights two issues: imperfect man and imperfect environment, emphasizing that improving human adaptation to natural environments can enhance life expectancies and quality of life.
3. Psychosocial concepts
Contemporary developments in social sciences revealed that health is influenced not only by biomedical factors but also by social, psychological, cultural, economic, and political factors. These factors must be considered in defining and measuring health, making health both a biological and social phenomenon.
4. Holistic concept
The holistic model synthesizes the above concepts, recognizing the influence of social, economic, political, and environmental factors on health. Described as a unified or multidimensional process, it involves the well-being of the whole person within their environment. This aligns with the ancient belief that health implies a sound mind, in a sound body, in a sound family, in a sound environment. The holistic approach implies that all sectors of society affect health, including agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry, education, housing, public works, communications, and other sectors, with an emphasis on promoting and protecting health.
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Sources: Park, K. (2021). Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine (26th ed.). Bhanot Publishers.
