Health
Definition & Dimensions
Dr. HARIVANSH CHOPRA
PROFESSOR
COMMUNITY MEDICINE
LLRM MEDICAL COLLEGE
MEERUT
harichop@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
TO LEARN DEFINITIONS OF HEALTH
TO LEARN DIMENSIONS OF HEALTH
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Health: Definition
Webster:
The condition of being sound in body, mind
or spirit, especially freedom from
physical disease or pain.
1. Body: Physical health
2. Mind: Mental health
3. Spirit: Spiritual health
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Health: Definition
Oxford English Dictionary:
Soundness of body or mind, that condition in
which its functions are duly and
efficiently discharged.
1. Body: Physical health
2. Mind: Mental health
3. Efficient functioning
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Health: Definition
Perkins:
Relative equilibrium of body form and
function which results from its successful
dynamic adjustment to forces tending to
disturb it.
1. Body form : Anatomy
2. Body function : Physiology
3. Health : Interaction of body to
environment
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Health: Definition
Dubos
A modus vivendi enabling imperfect men to
achieve a rewarding and not too painful
existence while they cope with an
imperfect world
Coping with imperfect world = Interaction
with environment
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Health: Definition
World Health Organization
It is a state of complete physical, mental
and social wellbeing and not merely
absence of disease or infirmity.
1. Mere absence of disease is NOT Health
2. Three dimensions of health
3. Complete wellbeing on three dimensions
4. Fourth dimension ‘spiritual’ now added
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Health: Definition
1. Only four dimensions considered
(emotional & vocational omitted)
2. Too idealistic, not reachable in practice
3. Health considered as “a state” i.e. a
static entity. (In practice it is a dynamic
concept)
4. “Ability to lead socially & economically
productive life” is also now added to this
definition.
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Dimensions of Health
Physical
Spiritual
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Physical Dimension
Individual level
Group
(Community) Level
Easily understood & measurable
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Physical Dimension:
Individual level
1. Every organ of ‘normal’ shape and size
2. Every organ & system functions at
optimum level
3. Individually & in coordination
4. E/o growth in children
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Physical Dimension
Community Level
Indicated by the indicators of:
1. Morbidity
2. Mortality
3. Fertility
4. Disability
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Mental Dimension
Individual level
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Group
(Community) Level
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"a state of balance
between the individual
and the surrounding
world, a state of
harmony between
oneself and others, a
coexistence between the
realities of the self and
that of other people and
that of the environment"
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•a. a mentally healthy person is free from
internal conflicts; he is not at "war" with
himself.
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•b. he is welladjusted, i.e., he
is able to get
along well with
others.
He
accepts criticism
and is not easily
upset.
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•c. he searches for identity.
•d. he has a strong sense of selfesteem.
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•e. he knows himself: his needs, problems
and goals (this is known as selfactualization).
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•f. he has good selfcontrol-balances
rationality
and
emotionality.
•g. he faces problems
and tries to solve them
intelligently,
i.e.,
coping with stress and
anxiety.
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Mental Dimension
Individual Level
Perception
Confidence
Self control
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Decision making
Meaningfulness
Coordination
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Perception
Correct perception of own
1.
Abilities: Neither underestimates
nor overestimates
2. Emotions & feelings
3. Strengths & weaknesses
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Decision making
Meaningfulness
1. Right decision at
1. Leading life with
right moment
2. Realistic goals &
ambitions
‘purpose’
2. Dependable
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Confidence in :
1. Own abilities
2. Own strengths
3. Neither
overconfident
4. Nor under
confident
Self control
1. Does not loose
control easily
2. Controls emotions
3. Faces frustration &
conflict gracefully
Coordination
1. Leading life harmoniously with others
2. Adjusting with others
3. Rare conflicts
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Mental Health
Community Level
Indicators:
1. Suicides
2. Homicides
3. Drug dependence
4. Offences related to women & children
5. Morbidity due to mental illnesses
6. Morbidity due to psychosomatic
illnesses
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Social Dimension
Individual level
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Group
(Community) Level
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Social dimension
• It has been defined as the "quantity and
quality of an individual's interpersonal ties
and the extent of involvement with the
community"
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Social Health
Individual Level
1. Development of Social skills & functions
(Socialization)
1. Performance of ‘roles’
2. Education, Occupation
3. Economic status
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Social Health
Community Level
Equity in distribution of resources
Indicators:
1. Per capita GDP
2. Literacy rates
3. Status of women
4. Employment / unemployment
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Spiritual Dimension
Most difficult dimension to explain & quantify
Includes such aspects like:
1. Ethics
2. Principles
3. Integrity
Relates to certain informal social controls
like Hippocrates’s Oath for doctors.
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Spiritual Dimension
•
•
•
•
1 who am I ?
2 what do I want ?
3 what is the purpose of life ?
4 how this purpose can be
fulfilled ?
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Emotional Dimension
Emotion: Sudden forces of feelings
emerging in mind
Types:
Positive: Love, Joy
Negative: Hatred, Sadness, Dejection
Expression of correct emotion, at correct
place, in controlled form = Emotional
health
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Emotional Dimension
Common forms of emotional disturbances:
Anxiety: Inability to concentrate, insomnia
Depression: Sadness, dejection , suicidal
tendency
Mood swings: Sadness / joy on trivial
incidences, sometimes hostile
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Vocational Dimension
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Concerned with job
Job & person ‘made for each other’.
Expression of frustration, unhappiness
over job
Frequent changes in job
Maladjustment with job
Occupational disorders
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CONCLUSION
HEALTH IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD IN PHYSICAL ,MENTAL,
SOCIAL,AND SPRITUAL CONTEXT.
IT IS NOT STATIC .
IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH IS NOT REALISED TILL IT IS
LOST .
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