How do you define health? It seems like a very simple question when in fact, it can be quite complex. Health can mean many things to many people and there is truly no one way to define it. 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” (Constitution of the World Health Organization, 2006). At the time it was created, people believed the WHO’s definition was comprehensive and inclusive however today, many people believe that this definition is dated and not reflective of true health. In my search for an alternative definition I came across many discussion boards and websites that debated the use of the term “complete” in The WHO’s definition. I felt drawn to this argument because I too agreed- How can one define “complete”. My idea of health may be very different from yours and it does not make it better or worse. I believe that the definition of health is very personal and can vary from person to person.
This week in Ontario, news outlets reported that Ontario hospitals will be receiving $90-million cash infused ahead of the flu season, to help prevent patients from having to be treated in hospital hallways (Ontario hospitals to get $90 million to tackle hallway medicine: health minister, 2018). But even with large cash investments like this one into our healthcare system, I believe we are not impacting overall health for the people of this province and across Canada.
Witt et al. (2017) discussed how healthcare systems generally focus on diseases and resources for treatment which is helpful for individuals suffering from acute and/or life-threatening illnesses but is not helpful for the population that suffers from chronic illness.
Let’s Look at the Stats…..
· 2 out of 3 Canadians will develop a chronic disease
· Every 5 minutes somebody in Canada dies of a chronic disease
· Chronic disease accounts for 87% of disability in the Canadian population
(Morrison, n.d)
This numbers show the potential positive impact that could be made by simply changing the way we look at health and readjusting our focus to be more inclusive and supportive of health across many different components of daily life and not just when someone goes to the hospital or clinic.
There are many factors contribute to one’s health and we call these determinants of health. This means a wide range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that determine individual and population health (Social determinants of health and health inequalities , 2018)
In my Public Health Unit, we are actively trying to work towards creating health equity within our communities. Having a definition of health that encompasses health equity is critical for people and communities to thrive. Health equity refer to “the absence of unfair systems and policies that cause health inequalities. Health equity seeks to reduce inequalities and to increase access to opportunities and conditions conducive to health for all” (Social determinants of health and health inequalities , 2018)
By creating a prosperous community where people can live and thrive will positively impact health for everyone. Affordable housing, equal access to supports and resources, education and having a diverse economy- not things you typically think of when you think health, yet these are foundational pieces that will impact entire families and not just one individual’s health.
My question to everyone is: What are you doing in your professional practice to improve health equity?
References
Constitution of the World Health Organization. (2006, October). Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/governance/eb/who_constitution_en.pdf
Morrison, H. (n.d). Chronic Disease Prevention Challenges in Canada. Retrieved from Public Health Agency of Canada: http://www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca/sites/healthyenvironmentforkids.ca/files/Morrison-March8-CDPreventionChallengesinCanda.pdf
Ontario hospitals to get $90 million to tackle hallway medicine: health minister. (2018, October 2). Retrieved from CTV News Toronto: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-hospitals-to-get-90-million-to-tackle-hallway-medicine-health-minister-1.4118535
Social determinants of health and health inequalities . (2018, 09 25). Retrieved from Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html#a1
Witt, C.M., Chiaramonte, D., Berman, S., Chesney, M.A., Kaplan, G.A., Stange, K.C., Woolf, S.H., & Berman, B.M. (2017). Defining health in a comprehensive context: A new definition of integrative health. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(1), pp 134-137. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9rz0t354
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