Health – Illness – Death

1. Health – Illness – Death

2. Definition of Health • World Health Organisation: "health is a complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity" Definitions of health and illness vary, they cannot be defined in terms of anatomical, physiological or even mental attributes. Health is defined as the ability for the individual to function in a way which is acceptable to the group from which they belong.(Davey et al, 1984)Health as a word: "the condition of the body and the degree to which it is free from illness, or the state of being well"

3. Illness refers to the sociocultural context within which disease is experienced. The patient and his/her family label, classify, and explain the sickness episode in such a way that it can be personally and socially meaningful (Kleinman 1978).

4. Sickness can also be regarded as a concept that combines the biomedical model (disease) with the sociocultural context of the patient (illness). Spirituality and religion can potentially play an important role in defining, understanding, and responding to disease within “illness.” For the “disease” part of sickness, the personal beliefs of a health or mental health care provider must also be considered, as they impact patient-provider communication.

5. Health, or lack of health, was once merely attributed to biological or natural conditions. • The spread of diseases is heavily influenced by the socioeconomic status of individuals, ethnic traditions or beliefs, and other cultural factors..

6. Where medical research might gather statistics on a disease, a sociological perspective on an illness would provide insight on what external factors caused the demographics who contracted the disease to become ill

7. Mental Health Definition • A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease (WHO) • Good health is a mixture of physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

8. Death • Cessation of the biological functions of the living organism • Death bodies begin to decompose shortly after the death.. • Definition is however problematic: Levels of different cases from deep coma to brain death subjects, it is being discussed whether these cases are death or not. Many other body functions can maintain in these patients.

9. Physical Signs • Pallor Mortis: Paleness of the body • Livor Mortis: Blood settles down in the lower parts of the body • Algor Mortis: Body temperature decrease • Rigor Mortis: Limbs of the corpse become stiff • Cardiac arrest • Decomposition