Is health and wellness the same thing? In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (World Health Organization, 1948). In the article “Health and Wellness: A Conceptual Differentiation by Jerrold S. Greenberg, Health is discussed using a multifactorial approach consisting of social, mental, emotional, spiritual and physical components, while wellness is seen as a balance of all of these components.
The definition of health used by the WHO in 1948 has not been updated and no longer fits the current aging population and the rise of chronic conditions (Huber, 2011). The world life expectancy has increased dramatically, in 1950 life expectancy was 46.5 years and today it is 73.4 years (Worldometer, 2023).
The word “complete” in the WHO’s definition of health has received the most criticism (Huber, 2011) as complete is defined as “having all the necessary or appropriate parts” (OED,2023) and does not speak to wellness within the existence of chronic illness. “Aging with Chronic illness has become the norm” (Huber, 2011) and focusing on wellbeing and wellness will allow individuals to determine what health means to them. The meaning of being healthy is individual and looks different for everyone. How would I personally define Health? (Huber, 2011) discusses that a new definition may not be the direction requirement, rather a new conceptual framework or concept of health which allows for interpretation by individuals. My concept of health may look very different from someone who lives down the street from me or someone who lives in a different community or someone who lives in a different country.
References
Huber, M. (2011). Health: How Should We Define It? BMJ:British Medical Journal,343 (7817), 235-237.
Jerrold S. Greenberg EdD, F. (1985). Health and Wellness: a Concepttual Differentiation. Journal of School Health,55, 403-406.
Organization, W. H. (2023). Constitution. Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution
Press, O. U. (2023). Oxford Engligh Dictionary. Retrieved from Oxford English Dictionary: https://www.oed.com/?tl=true
Worldometer. (2023). Life expectancy of the World Population. Retrieved from https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/
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