In 1948 the World Health Organization (WHO) describes health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO, 1948). This definition has not been amended since.
Over the past 70 years there has been much criticism to the WHO definition of health. A noteworthy criticism in an editorial in the Lancet that described health as being measured on our ability to adapt (The Lancet, 2009). The advances in medicine have allowed us to live longer with chronic diseases and or disabilities. Individuals who can adapt well are likely to be in better “health” and experience a higher quality of life. This notion of adaptation was further explored in (Huber et al., 2011) who advocated that the WHO definition needs to changed given the increasing burden of chronic diseases. In addition, the WHO model does not account for individuals with disabilities (WHO, 1948).
The ability to adapt to changes in our physical and mental states are dependent on both internal and external factors. A response to the (Huber et al., 2011) article stated that a “contemporary definition should include health being a human right protected by certain entitlements and a resource for life that is affected by social, political, economic, and environmental factors” (BMJ, 2011). Any proposed new definition should consider the many social determinants of health.
So perhaps we can all be “healthier” and experience a better quality of life by finding adaptations in both ourselves and in society. We must continue to teach self-management strategies while advocating for societal improvement that minimize barriers to access and participation.
References
BMJ. (2011) Proposal for new definition of health. British Medical Journal. 343: d5359
Huber, M., André Knottnerus, J., Green, L., Van Der Horst, H., Jadad, A. R., Kromhout, D., … Smid, H. (2011). How should we define health? BMJ (Online), 343(7817), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4163
Huber, M., André Knottnerus, J., Green, L., Van Der Horst, H., Jadad, A. R., Kromhout, D., … Smid, H. (2011). How should we define health? BMJ (Online), 343(7817), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4163
The Lancet. (2009). What is health? The ability to adapt. The Lancet, 373(9666), 781. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60456-6
WHO (1948) Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
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