The document discusses different concepts of health over time. It begins by defining health according to the WHO as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. It then outlines 4 evolving concepts: 1) the biomedical concept views health as absence of disease; 2) the ecological concept sees health as a dynamic equilibrium between humans and their environment; 3) the psychosocial concept recognizes social, psychological and cultural influences; and 4) the holistic concept synthesizes all factors and sees health as involving overall well-being influenced by many sectors of society.

1. CONCEPT OF HEALTH
BY:
Mr. M. Shivananda Reddy

3. Definition of health
• The World Health Organization (WHO) defines
health as a “state of complete physical, mental,
and social well-being, not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1947).

4. Concept Of Health
• An understanding of health is the basis of all
the health care.
• Health is not perceived the same way by all
the members of a community including
various professional groups (like biomedical
scientists, social scientists, health
administrators, ecologists) giving rise to
confusion about the concept of health.

5. • Health has evolved over the centuries from the
concept of individual concern to a worldwide
social goal.
• The various changing concepts of health as
follows:
1. Biomedical concept
2. Ecological concept
3. Psychosocial concept
4. Holistic concept

6. 1. Biomedical concept
• Traditionally health has been considered as an
absence of the diseases and if someone was
free from disease, then that person was
considered healthy.
• This concept is known as biomedical concept,
and it is based on the “germ theory of the
disease.”

7. • Health means “absence of disease.”
• The medical profession viewed the human body
as a machine and disease is an outcome of the
breakdown of the machine, and one of the
doctor’s tasks was to repair the machine.
• This concept has minimized the role of the
environment, social and cultural determinants of
the health.

8. • Developments in medical and social sciences
led to the conclusion that the biomedical
concept of health was inadequate

9. 2. Ecological Concept
• Deficiencies in the biomedical concept gave rise
to other concepts.
• The ecologists put forward the concept of
ecological concept.
• Ecologists viewed health as a dynamic equilibrium
between man and his environment, and the
disease as a maladjustment of the human
organism to environment.

10. 3. Psychosocial Concept
•Advances in social sciences showed that health is
not only a biomedical phenomenon, but one which
is influenced by social, psychological, cultural,
economic and political factors of the people
concerned.
•These factors must be taken into consideration in
defining and measuring health.
•Thus health is both a biological and social
phenomenon

11. 4. Holistic Concept
• The holistic model is a synthesis of all the above
concepts.
•Holistic concept recognizes the strength of
social, economic, political and environmental
influences on health.
•It has been variously described as
multidimensional process involving the wellbeing
of the person as a whole.
•The emphasis is on the promotion and
protection of health.

12. • The holistic approach implies that all sectors of
the society have an effect on health, in particular,
agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry,
education, housing, public works and other
sectors.