Definitions and Determinants of Health

Here are a few references for definitions of health, expanded theories and proposals that modernize the WHO definition from 1948.

The Meikirch model of health is a great visual and an inclusive definition that resonates with me. Link to the article : https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/jphp.2014.19

The Public Health Agency of Canada defines the key determinants of health below. They may be easily inserted into the Meikirch model groupings above. Link to the site here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html

Key Determinants

1. Income and Social Status

2. Social Support Networks

3. Education and Literacy

4. Employment/Working Conditions

5. Social Environments

6. Physical Environments

7. Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills

8. Healthy Child Development

9. Biology and Genetic Endowment

10. Health Services

11. Gender

12. Culture

I explored the determinants of health in my region and was fascinated by the "health neighborhoods" and statistics I found on the Durham Region Public Health website. By applying what I know about my community in terms of demographics and local industries in my area, it was interesting to think about the determinants of health in our area.

The website shows more than 80 health indicators, by neighborhood and municipality. You can drill down by neighborhood and by indicator. There is also an interactive map. So cool!! I can see how it is being used by my hospital currently as we undertake a master planning exercise for our 5 hospital regional system of care.

Here is the link: https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-wellness/health-neighbourhoods.aspx

Some other interesting reads about health definitions and determinants:

1. Bohn Stafleu van Loghum "Towards a new definition of health" With his definition as ’the ability to adapt and self-manage resulting in physical, mental and social-well being’ he seeks to combine the best elements of the old and new definitions of health. (https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/26/3/412/2467172

2. Marielle Jambroes, Trudi Nederland, Marian Kaljouw, Katja van Vliet, Marie-Louise Essink-Bot, Dirk Ruwaard "Implications of health as ‘the ability to adapt and self-manage’ for public health policy: a qualitative study" The new concept of health as a basis for changes in the healthcare system offers opportunities to create a health-promoting societal context. However, inequalities in health within the general population may increase when using the new concept as an operationalisation of health. For public health, the main challenge is to maintain focus on the collective socioeconomic and environmental determinants of health and disease and, thereby, preserve collective prevention. https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/26/3/412/2467172