Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is, “a state of full physical, emotional and social well being and not just the absence of sickness and disease.” Various definitions have been utilized over the years. The dictionary definition of health is, “exceeding the norm of healthy and normal development.” Another definition of health is, “exceeding the expectancy of normal growth and development.” Yet another definition of health is, “complete fitness for life with proper nutrition and moderate exercise.”
In addition to the dictionary definition, health promotion has been defined as “engaging in programs aimed at improving the public’s health through information and behavior modification.” The National Health Service (NHS) defines health promotion as “the creation and maintenance of a healthy environment that can be shared by people at all ages and social status”. The Department of Health defines health promotion as “social determinants of health.” These three broad ideas form the basis of the current NICE guidelines on health promotion and treatment.
Health equity is the difference between what people in different regions of the world experience and how their health differs from those of other nations. Health Equity is a concept that is reflected in the NICE guidelines for social determinants of health. Health equity should be a major consideration in all policies designed to reduce health disparities. The focus in public health planning phase is to make provision for the health needs of people in all communities. This is done through policies that address health disparities through public health interventions in the community, such as setting up a local strategy for preventing diseases that are associated with differences in health.
Public health is a concept that has long been practiced by health care providers. The NICE guidelines for social determinants of health to consider two other major factors in determining people’s well-being: the physical environment and the social networks they have. The concept of public health emphasizes the focus on promoting healthy environments, such as through the implementation of policies that promote environmental quality as well as creating spaces that promote healthy interaction among people. The concept also takes into account the need for safe environments for children and the need for reliable and accessible medical care.
The National Health Services has developed a framework called the Health Assessment Questionnaire for diagnosis and treatments (HADAC). The health assessment questionnaire collects information about personal characteristics, health conditions and life experiences that affect health. The questionnaire collects information that is used to classify people according to risk for chronic and systemic diseases. The framework was introduced in the nineties and is based on the idea that people live in environments that determine their risk for disease and that to decrease risk one must modify the existing environment.
There is an increasing recognition of the importance of evaluating health and well-being as a social issue. In many countries and cultures, public health has become an important element in defining health and well-being. The concept of health promotion is becoming more relevant in defining quality of life and its maintenance. It is also associated with issues such as social assistance, maternal health, care giving, rural poverty, and health insurance. The focus on public health promotion is on prevention, early detection, therapeutic services, population management and quality control.