HEALTH; It?s Dimensions, Models And Theories. Essay, Research Paper
The World Health Organisation defines ?health?
as: -??. A complete states of physical, mental and social well
being?not merely the absence of disease.? ????????? WHO (1946) Constitution, Geneva. If we were all to be in compliance with this
definition, there would be very few people who would be classed as being with
their ?health?. This definition has been described by some social scientists as
?utopian? how health would be in an ideal world. With understanding I am going to explain what I
believe to be my view of health from a laypersons? perspective, and then, using
recently used knowledge explain what my concept of? ?health? is from theoretical perspectives. I will then look at
the two contrasting models of health and discuss how these fulfil the WHO
definition.There are many different perspectives in the way which we
view the term ?health?. Everyone is unique so health is something that varies from
person to person; we all have our own views on what is meant by being in good
health, a lot of people take their health for granted, and health is often
something that can be neglected without thought. Many look upon health as being
the absence of disease, illness, aches and pains. ?Your all right as long as
you have got your health?, this is something we often here, but does it refer
to being entirely without illness, no worse than can be expected or appropriate
with one?s circumstances. To describe my own view of? ?what? health is from a laypersons? perspective, I would have to
say that it would be to be without pain and disease, to have mental and
physical stability and to have the freedom and independence to make my own life
choices. I feel that someone?s health can often be affected by his or her
quality of life, to feel good about one?s self you also need to feel dignified. Everyone?s health is unique to them, we are all unique in
our bodies and mind?s, and people react in different ways to different
situations. To show this I am using an example of a woman, whom I know, who
describes herself as being in good health. I am also going to give a brief
description of another friend who suffers with the same condition. Yet the
opinion of a medic or idealist, regarding the first example, would be that she
was without her health, this would be the view from the biomedical approach to
health. The social scientist would query whether or not she had the ability to
function in a normal social role. Where as the humanist would see that she has
adapted positively to the problems that she faces in life, this would be seen
as the holistic model of health.Karen is a 36-year-old
female who studies full time at college; she is a diabetic. Karen is insulin
dependent, on various medications; she has also gone blind and suffers with
peripheral neuropathy. Yet this woman still classes herself as being healthy.
She has learnt to understand and manage her condition, to minimise its effects
on her life. She is training to be a counsellor so that she can help other
people who find themselves in her situation. Karen is grateful for the health
that she has, although she suffers many illnesses she sees these as new
challenges not as ill health. Karen was first diagnosed 12 years ago.Bob is a 44-year-old ?male,
he does not work and is a diabetic. Bob is insulin dependent, receives other
medications and he also suffers with peripheral neuropathy. Bob?s treatment is
overlooked by the district nurses he classes himself as being housebound;
relatives and carers support him in his daily needs. Bob classes him self as
disabled yet he still has his sight, so his physical health is actually better
than Karen?s is. He has been ill for approximately 6 years. Everyone will share different views on the health of these
two people, that is because health means different things to each of usThrough knowledge I have
recently learned I am going to look at what my concept of ?health? is now from
theoretical perspectives. Health is part of a dynamic process; it has various
influences such as age, gender and our social classification. To accurately
diagnose somebody?s health, the body must be viewed as a whole, with all areas
looked at together as one. There are many different
dimensions of health. We can look at how our health affe
different ways. The body reacts as a whole so therefore must be treated as a
whole. It is possible for us to be unhealthy with a psychological ailment that
can lead to social problems, or even be caused by them without showing any
physical trauma. There are also the mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions
to look at when defining health. These are all things that need to be taken
into account when looking for and accurate diagnosis. How is it possible for an
unemployed single mother to feel healthy in a working class society that has
family values, when she is on her own and living in poverty? She may not be
?ill? but her body is not working in harmony and balance. Different professions have
different theories on health. A medic would say it is the absence of disease or
injury that signify health in a person. A social scientist would say that it is
the ability to function in a normal social role. The idealist would support the
WHO definition, where as a humanist would say that it is the ability to adapt
positively to the problems of life, which makes us healthy.? All of these professions have different
opinions, yet they are important in the delivery of our care when we are ill. ? ???????? ?The body is born as one, reacts as one
and dies as one. It is a unity, when affected by sickness, it reacts as a
whole?.? ? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Sankaran,
1992.Whichever model of health we
agree with it must be seen to be adequate for the purpose it sets out to
fulfil. Whether this be nursing the sick, the care of the elderly, both
physically and mentally, and the prevention of ill health through the society
in which we live. Holistic is a word derived
from the Greek word ?Holos? meaning whole.?
The holistic model of health is one that fulfils the WHO definition in
the sense that not only on the absence of disease and illness but also on the
absence of physical, psychological and social ailments, will there be harmony
and balance. Both of which are needed to interact to form complete homeostasis.
Holistic models say that to consider the body without taking into account the
social and psychological aspects, would give a misleading diagnosis of the
health of that body. Over the last century the
most influencing model in health has been the traditional biomedical model. It
began in the Renaissance, when the major division between religion and science
occurred. Rene Descartes, a philosopher of the Renaissance, put forward the
concept of dualism, a mind free from external forces and able to think logically
and independently. With this the body and the mind could be viewed separately,
the body was seen as a machine. If there were a problem the body was broken
down into components, the problem would be found and rectified. Biomedical
models of health see the body as a biological machine made up of many parts.
Cells which make tissues, which then make organs and then finally systems.
These systems then interact and communicate to create harmony and balance, a
state called biological homeostasis. This is seen as health. This approach is
known as the reductionist approach, when only a small part and not the
whole person is taken into account. It has been invaluable in gaining
scientific knowledge about the body but ruled out the mind. This approach did
not take into account what affects could be had upon the body by psychological,
social and physical dimensions. Although it is seen to be of great importance
that we are physically well, there is now more acceptance that these other
dimensions influence our health, so when this is taken into account the
biomedical model of health somewhat fulfils the WHO definition. Both of the models of health
that we have looked at view the body as being entire and understand that one
part will not function correctly without the other. Yet the biomedical model,
which is the orthodox, traditional model treats the parts that cause the
problem, without further analysing psychological or social disorders which may
also be present. To achieve complete harmony and balance, we need to firstly
achieve a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, this can
only be done by viewing the body as a whole in its entirety.