What is Health? Many of us take it for granted, rarely considering its true meaning. For most people, it refers to being well able to survive or recover from serious illness, while others define it as the quality of being able to cope with everyday demands. Defining Health is extremely important because it helps us to determine what part of our lives are essential to our well being and what are luxuries.
According to the World Health Organization, “health is a state of full physical, mental and emotional well-being and not necessarily the absence of sickness and disease.” Various definitions have also been used over the years for different purposes. However, when you speak of well-being, one definition that is widely accepted is “the ability to experience enjoyment of life despite the condition or threat of illness.” In addition, when talking about spiritual wellness, well-being is considered an essential component. The ability to thrive in the face of adversity and disease, as well as, the ability to manage stress, are essential elements that lead to spiritual well-being.
It is important to consider the various factors that contribute to individual behavior. As an example, environmental factors can greatly influence an individual behavior and can be considered as controllable or uncontrollable factors. On the other hand, there are many controllable factors which can still lead to individual behavior. These factors include genes, physiological and environmental factors, and social environment. When looking at the factors that control individual behavior, it is important to consider the effects of these factors on population health.