10/23/2024

HEALTH AND DISEASE

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeynep SOFUOĞLU

Public Health

What is the most important thing in

your life?

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Health is a neglected topic

UNTIL it is LOST

Concepts of health
⚫ What is health according to you?

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CONCEPT OF HEALTH
Definitions:
“Absence of disease”
In some cultures, health and harmony are
considered equivalent,
Harmony: "being at peace with the self, the
community, god and cosmos".

Changing concepts of health

Biomedical concept

Ecological concept

Psychosocial concept

Holistic concept

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Changing concepts (1/4):

Biomedical concept:
"Absence of disease" based on "germ theory of
disease“
⚫ Drawback: minimized the role of the
environmental, social, psychological and
cultural determinants of health.

Changing concepts (2/4):

Ecological concept:
According to ecologists:
⚫ Health is a dynamic equilibrium between
man and his environment, and
⚫ Disease is a maladjustment of the human
organism to environment.

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Changing concepts (3/4):

Psychosocial concept:
⚫ Health is not only a biomedical phenomenon,
but one which is influenced by
▪ social,
▪ psychological,
▪ cultural,
▪ economic and
▪ political factors of the people concerned.

Changing concepts (4/4)…

Holistic concept :
It recognizes the strength of social, economic,
political and environmental influences on health.
⚫ Implies that all sectors of society have an
effect on health
⚫ Ancient view: Sound mind, in a sound body, in
a sound family, in sound environment.
⚫ Emphasis is on promotion and protection of
health

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DEFINITION OF HEALTH:
⚫ Health is a state of
⚫ Complete physical,
⚫ Mental and
⚫ Social wellbeing and
⚫ Not merely an absence of disease or
infirmity
⚫ To be able to lead a "socially and
economically productive life"

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New philosophy of health

⚫ Health is a fundamental human right
⚫ Health is the essence of productive life, and not
the result of ever increasing expenditure on
medical care
⚫ Health is intersectoral
⚫ Health is an integral part of development
⚫ Health is central to the concept of quality of life
⚫ Health involves individuals, state and
international responsibility
⚫ Health and its maintenance is a major social
investment
⚫ Health is a worldwide social goal.
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cholera plague

smallpox

Polio
Tetanus rabies

malaria tuberculosis
diphtheria

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• Preventive medicine

• healing medicine (treatment)

• rehabilitative medicine

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The main purpose of medicine

• To prevent community losing health

• To diagnose diseases at an early stage and treating
them before disability or death occurs
• To rehabilate sequelae or their effects

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WHO – 7 April 1948

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.”

“Health is a state of complete physical , mental

and social well - being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity .”

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HEALTH

• physical well-being

• mental well-being

• social well-being

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social well-being
• A prerequisite for a person to be in full social
well-being so have a healthy social life.

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social well-being
• Negative environmental
• Working conditions
• Unemployment
• Poverty
• Inequality
• Lack of education
• …

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Edwige Chadwick
(1800-1890)

• The main cause of diseases is poverty and one

of the important causes of poverty is disease.

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low income a vicious circle

decrease in working power poverty

increase in diseases

malnutrition
Lack of importance given to
preventive medicine / services lack of education
negative environment
Prioritizing treatment
medicine/services

illness

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WHO – 7 April 1948

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.”

“Health is a state of complete physical , mental

and social well - being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity .”

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Two aspects of health can be distinguished:

1) Subjective – it is formed by sensations and feelings

of a person, e.g. high working capacity, ability to
overcome problems, optimistic thinking, happiness,
satisfaction...

2) Objective – its basis is formed by objective

parameters obtained by measurement of
strutures and functions of a person

Subjective and objective aspects of a health can differ

e.g. – A person with  systemic BP can feel healthy
Oposite – A person can feel ill despite no measurable changes of
structure and/or functions can be find

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Positive cosequence of WHO definition of health:

– change of health care phylosophy

Classical phylosophy:
Diseased person → doctor → diagnosis → therapy

Modern phylosophy

health promotion prevention of disease

healthy person onset and development
health protection

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• Positive wellness involves:

1. being free from symptoms of disease and pain

as much as possible;

2. being able to be active - able to do what you want

and what you have to do at the appropriate time;

3. being in good spirits most of the time

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WHO definition
• While the definition of health based on death
and disease confines the event to biological
and medical parameters only,
• With the definition of WHO, it is possible to
include social events for the determination of
health.

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Social well-being
• The individual's inability to fulfill the
humanitarian, social and collective roles
expected from him/her is an indicator of poor
social well-being.

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Individual – Society – Health

SOCIETY

HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL

HEALTHY SOCIETY

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Main factors affecting health

• 10% social conditions

• 8% medical conditions
• 7% climatic conditions
• 15% hereditary conditions
• 60% lifestyle

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Illness
It is a state caused by abnormal structural and
functional changes in tissues and cells.

A person is considered sick when he cannot

perform the social role expected of him.

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• Çok yaşa

• God bless you

• Gesundheit

• Felicita

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Questions

zeynep.sofuoglu@idu.edu.tr

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