Definition of Health in the American Context

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Many Americans are concerned about health because of its impact on society. It is a term that has different definitions prompting the urge to seek the most appropriate one for the American situation. The most notable definitions concerning health include those by Webster, the World Health Organization, and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).

However, the IBIM definition is more comprehensive than the others, which are scantly and only look at health in terms of illness and pain.

The general definition of health, formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a state of complete mental, physical, and social well-being that does not only entail the absence of disability or disease (McCartney et al., 2019). However, it is not comprehensive and does not represent the American context because it does not cover the social and economic aspects of health. Webster defines health as a state where one is free from disease or pain (McCartney et al., 2019).

This definition is scanty and does not cover all aspects of health, including the social and economic elements. Therefore, health should include freedom from suffering, mobility, mental well-being, adaptability, and social fulfillment.

The American Board of Internal Medicine (IBIM) defines health in a manner that is appropriate to the American situation. It defines health as the ability to conduct life in an economically and socially rewarding manner made possible by the availability of financial and physical resources. Healthcare costs are bound to be sustainable if the population’s health status allows them to conduct their social and economic activities without any physical or financial hindrances.

Healthcare becomes expensive if the population cannot undertake meaningful activities due to illnesses. More resources are needed to care for patients with chronic diseases and those undergoing acute hospital care. Health conditions that render patients unproductive bear many costs to the individual and the health care system. In America, many individuals lack health insurance leading to unequal access to quality healthcare due to affordability. The government would also be forced to spend a lot of resources on disease prevention due to the effects of debilitating diseases, which lead to unproductivity.

It is feasible for individuals to perform certain social and economic activities despite having one form of illness or another. Many disabled persons in America are productive despite their condition, which is sometimes considered an illness. A state of health that recognizes the existence of illnesses and diseases as a usual occurrence that does not necessarily affect the productivity of an individual is sound. People can undertake various rewarding activities because they have physical and financial resources. Physical strength does not mean an absence of disease but a condition that allows an individual to engage in social and economic activities that can benefit him and society.

The patient’s and society’s responsibility is to ensure they have the necessary resources to engage in productive activities. Individuals should ensure that they maintain good healthy habits that will enhance their social and economic activities. For instance, poor eating habits and inactivity might lead to obesity, an expensive health condition to manage and treat. In America, many people suffer from obesity due to poor health behaviors and irresponsibility. Society also needs to provide the necessary environment in which people can practice good health habits, enhancing their health and reducing health-related costs (Givens et al., 2022). It can help provide public health resources and disease prevention measures to mitigate health-related issues affecting the population’s productivity level.

Creating healthier communities needs efforts to bring people together by selecting various strategies to improve their health. There is also a need to bring changes that can have a lasting and positive effect on people’s lives. Policymakers need to enhance social and economic factors like education to improve the health outcomes of the people. It is important to note that educated people have longer life spans than those who are not literate. Likewise, income is also correlated with health either decreasing or increasing.

In America, chronic and acute diseases have been the leading causes of disability and death. Moreover, these diseases affect human welfare and treatment costs, accounting for about 75% of US health spending (Schmidt, 2016). Chronic diseases impact health budgets, economies, and employee productivity.

The leading causes of chronic illness include poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, alcohol, and tobacco use.

In America, 33% of the population is obese and overweight.

The most appropriate health measures Americans should undertake must involve modifying risk factors to prevent suffering and early death. These risk factors must be reduced through prevention and health prevention policies focusing on lifestyle and individual health behaviors. There is a need to conduct health promotion discussions implicitly and explicitly and should not be confined to medical concepts only.

They should involve moral concepts such as personal responsibility in society’s customary frameworks.

Moreover, the government should also use taxes and other means to eradicate poverty and improve health. It should be noted that individual irresponsibility has become an enormous burden to the healthcare system. The focus must be on information campaigns and education to sensitize and empower people to behave responsibly. Policies adopting equitable resource distribution are essential for improving community health and reducing costs (McCartney et al., 2019). These policies help provide sufficient disposable income, equal opportunities to exercise, healthy foods, and affordable healthcare services.

In conclusion, health should be regarded as a condition allowing an individual to function normally and engage in social and economic activities without hindrances. In America, health is usually affected by many factors, including cost, lack of personal responsibility, and adverse health behaviors that lead to disability and death. Society must adopt specific interventions to prevent the harm caused by ill health.

Such measures should begin with creating awareness to help individuals take responsibility for their health.

References

Schmidt, H. (2016). Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Public health ethics: Cases spanning the globe, 137-176.

Givens, M., Bergam, A. & Willems Van Dijk, J. (2022). What Works? Social and Economic Opportunities to Improve Health for All. Retrieved from: What Works? Social and Economic Opportunities to Improve Health for All | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

McCartney, G., Popham, F., McMaster, R., & Cumbers, A. (2019). Defining health and health inequalities. Public health, 172, 22-30.

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Definition of Health in the American Context

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