What is Health? New vs. Old Definition

The Wold Health Organization (WHO) states “health is a state of complete, physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease/infirmity.” According to the WHO definition this would imply that if you have a disability, or a disease that is managed through medicine you would not be the ‘definition of health’. Charlier et.al. disagree with the original WHO definition as there are key elements missing.

Adaptability is the ability to adjust to life and balance oneself with others and the environment. I believe that if you have a disability or a disease but have been able to adapt to your new self and the environment you live in, then you should fall under the definition of health.

Adaptability is effected by ones subjective well-being. Dodge et al. discussed the definition of ones well being which looks at the quality of life separately from health and placing greater emphasis on the attitudes of oneself versus their illness (Dodge et.al. 2012). Headey et. al. measured the difference between individual subjective well-being and came up with the following diagram.

(Headey et.al. 1991)

The subjective well-being is based upon their stable stocks which are drawn upon to deal with specific life experiences or flows effecting ones subjective well-being (Headey et. al. 1991).

Recently Hendry et al. state that one’s subjective well-being is affected by the resources one has to draw upon to cope with challenges they face. Dodge et.al. included this diagram which shows the balancing act one’s well-being goes through on a daily basis.

(Dodge et.al. 2012)

The WHO definition is still valid in many ways as ones physical, social and mental health are important areas to consider when looking at the health of an individual. However, adaptability, adversity or someone’s subjective well-being should be taken into consideration to develop a greater picture of someone’s health.

Charlier, P., Coppens, Y., Malaurie, J., Brun, L., Kepanga, M., Hoang-Opermann, V., Correa-Calfin, J.A., Nuku, G., Ushiga, M., Schor, X.E., Deo, S., Hassin, J., Herve, C. (2017). A new definition of health? An open letter of autochthonous peoples and medical anthropologists to the WHO. European Journal of Internal Medicine. 37. 33-37.

Dodge, R., Daly, A.P., Huyton, J., Sanders, L.D. (2012). The challenge of defining wellbeing. Journal of Wellbeing, 2, 222-235. Retrieved from. https://internationaljournalofwellbeing.org/index.php/ijow/article/view/89/238

Headey, B. W., & Wearing, A. J. (1991). Subjective well-being: a stocks and flows framework. In Strack, F., Argyle, M., & Schwarz, N. (Eds.). Subjective Wellbeing – An interdisciplinary perspective (pp. 49–76). Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Hendry, L. B., & Kloep, M. (2002). Lifespan development: Resources, challenges and risks. London: Thomson Learning.