Dimensions of Health

Classroom
Teachingon
“Dimensions of Health
“
Presented By ---
Dr .Neelam Sharma
Definition Of Health
:
 “Health is a state of complete physical, mental
and social wellbeing and not merely an absence of
disease or infirmity.”
- W.H.O.
 (1948)
“ Health is the condition of being sound in
body,mind and spirit ,especially freedom from physical
disease or pain.”
-Webster .
Concepts Of Health
Biomedical concept
Ecological concept
Psychococial concept
Holistic concept
1.BIOMEDICAL CONCEPT :
Traditionally, health has been viewed as an “absence of

disease” and if one has free from disease, then the person
was considered healthy. This concept, known as the
“biomedical
concept” has the basis in the ‘germ theory of disease’.
MICROORGANISM Enters HUMAN Cause ILLNESS\DISEASE

BODY
CRITICISM OF BIOMEDICAL
CONCEPT :
According to biomedical concept, one factor ,i.e. Germ is
responsible for illness ,but other factors which contribute
to the illness are not considered.
But it has been seen that some of the health problems
such as accidents ,nutritional deficiency disorders, mental
disorders, disease due to environment pollution also
occur. Even germs also get an opportunity to multiply
and thereby cause disease, it get appropriate environment
inside the body to grow.
2.ECOLOGICAL CONCEPT :
 The ecologist put forward an attractive hypothesis which viewed
health as a dynamic equilibrium between man and his
environment.
 Disease a maladjustment of the human organism to
environment.
 The ecological concept raises two issues,
Imperfect man
Imperfect environment.
 So in the view of ecologists health problems occur due to
environmental pollution or mans maladjustment or imperfect man
environment.
CRITICISM OF ECOLOGICAL
CONCEPT :
 Ecologists have considered the external environment

of human beings ,but internal environment is also
responsible for disease.
E.g. ; Genetic inheritance,
Hemophilia Mental
retardation
3.Psychosocial concepts:
 Health is not only a biomedical phenomenon, but one

which is influenced by social, psychological, cultural,
economic and political factors of the people
concerned.
4.Holistic concept:
 The holistic model is a synthesis of all the above
concepts.
 It recognized the stronger of social, economic,
political and environmental influences on health.
 The holistic approach implies that all sectors of
society have an effect on health in particular,
agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry,
education, housing, public works, communications
and other sectors.
 The emphasis is on the promotion and protection
of
health.
DIMENSIONS OF HEALTH
Physical Mental
Social
Dimensions
of health
Spiritual Emotional Vocational

1.Physical Dimensions :
 Physical health means perfect functioning of the body in which each organ is
working in harmony with the maximum capacity.
 Physical health is achieved by the exercise, healthy diet, adequate rest and sleep
and no smoking or alcohol intake.
 To maintain proper physical health there is need for taking safety precautions,
and
regular follow up with the health care providers.
 Signs of physical health :
 A clean and healthy skin.
 Bright eyes.
 Not too fatty.
 A sweet breath.
 A good appetite.
 Sound sleep.
 Regular activities of bowels and bladder.
 Smooth, easy, and coordinated bodily movements.
Evaluation of Physical Health :
1. Self assessment of overall health.

2. Inquiry about ill health and risk factors.
3. Inquiry in to medications.
4. Standardized questionnaire for cardiovascular and respiratory
diseases.
5. Clinical examinations.
6. Nutritional and dietary history.
7. Biochemical and laboratory investigations.
2.Mental Dimensions :
 Mental health is a state of balance between body and mind .
Earlier the body and mind were considered two separate
entities.
 But these are interrelated as physical illness can result mental
illness and vice versa.
How mental illness influence physical health has been shown
in fig;
Decresed
Poor nutrition
Mental illness
intake
immune
DEPRESSION system
Poor hygiene Prone to
infection
Physical
illness
 Characteristics of mentally healthy person :
1. Mentally healthy person will be capable of making personal and social

adjustment.
2. Mentally healthy person is free from internal conflicts.
3. He faces problems and tries to solve them intelligently.
4. He has good self control balances rationally and emotionally.
5. He knows him self his needs problems and goals.
6. He has strong sense of self esteem.
7. He serches for identity.
8. He lives a well balanced life means able to maintain the balance
between work rest and recreation.
3.Social Dimensions:
An individual is socially healthy if he is able to maintain

harmonious relationship with other members of society in which he
lives.
Social health rooted in “positive material environment” and
“positive human environment” which is concerned with the
social network of the individual.
The social dimensions of health includes;
 Communication
 Intimacy
 Respect
 Equality
 Social functioning
4. Spiritual
Dimensions :
 Spirituality means in touch with deeper self and exploration the

purpose of life, as people believe in some force that transcend
physiology and psychology of human beings.
 It includes love , charity, purpose , principles , ethics,
intigrity,hope of life.
 Meditations ,prayers, or spiritual gatherings are organized to
maintain spiritual health.
5. Emotional Dimensions :
 Emotional health is closely related to the mental health and is considered as an
important element of health.
 Mental and emotional aspects of health are now viewed as two separate
entities
for human life.
 Cognition is related to the mental health whereas emotional health is related to
the feelings of a person.
 Emotional health includes ;
o An emotionally healthy person has a positive thinking and is capable of
coping and adjusting self.
o An emotionally healthy person participates in all the activities which are
related to personal growth and his self esteem.
o Emotionally well people have the ability to express feelings freely and
manage feelings effectively.
o They are also aware of and accept a wide range of feelings in themselves
and others.
6. Vocational Dimension :
 The choice of profession, job satisfaction, career ambitions and

personal performance are all important components of this
dimension.
 To be occupationally well, a person is ultimately doing exactly
with what they want to do in life and are comfortable with their
future plans.
 Vocational dimension of health can be assesed by ;
 Assessing the satisfaction level at job ,
 Facilities attached to the job ,
 Behaviour of the management and administrator and of
colleagues at job.
7.Other dimensions :
 A few other dimensions also suggested such

as ;
 Cultural dimensions
 Socio-economic dimensions
 Environmental dimensions
 Educational dimensions
 Nutritional dimensions
 Preventive dimensions
SUMM
ARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Basavanthappa BT. Community health nursing. 2th ed. New Delhi:

Jaypee brothers medical publishers (P) ltd; 2009; p. 43-44, 384- 388.
2. Park K. Park’s textbook of Preventive and social medicine. 17th ed.
Jabalpur: M/s banarsidas Bhannot publishers; 2002; p. 11-15.
3. Kozier, Erb Berman and Etal, “Fundamentals of nursing”. 6th
edition.
Pearson Education Publication. Pg to Pg No 168-170.
4. Neelam Kumari “A text book of community health
nursing-I” Pee Vee Publications.pg.18-28

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Classroom

Traditionally, health has been viewed as an “absence of

MICROORGANISM Enters HUMAN Cause ILLNESS\DISEASE

 Ecologists have considered the external environment

 Health is not only a biomedical phenomenon, but one

Spiritual Emotional Vocational

1. Self assessment of overall health.

Poor hygiene Prone to

1. Mentally healthy person will be capable of making personal and social

An individual is socially healthy if he is able to maintain

 Spirituality means in touch with deeper self and exploration the

 The choice of profession, job satisfaction, career ambitions and

 A few other dimensions also suggested such

1. Basavanthappa BT. Community health nursing. 2th ed. New Delhi:

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