What is Health?

Question 1

State the WHO definition of health.

Answer 1

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Question 2

Which five characteristics of health were set out by David Seedhouse?

Answer 2

• health as an ideal state
• health as a physical and mental fitness
• health as a commodity
• health as personal strength or ability
• health as the basis for personal potential

Question 3

List the findings of Blaxter (1995).

Answer 3

• older people and people living in difficult social or economic circumstances tend to concentrate on functional ability
• Younger people tend to speak of health in terms of physical strength and fitness
• Women of a higher social class or educational qualifications have a more multidimensional view of health
• men often don’t include the social aspect to health