Abstract
Health for all by the year 2000 is a goal for many professionals. Health promotion is a key strategy for attaining that goal. An essential step in the process is defining the term health. A review of literature reveals that the public was not consulted regarding their definition of the term, although it is their health that everyone is trying to promote.
The aim of this study was to find out how lay people in Saskatoon define health, and investigate the effects of several independent variables on their conceptualizations. One hundred residents participated in the study. The mail and telephone survey method was used to collect the data. Chi-square tests, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis were used to analyze the data.
The results of the study show that the respondents preferred functional and wellness definitions of health. They disagreed though that health is wellness despite the presence of disease, which is contrary to the expectations of many health professionals. They, moreover, disagreed with economical and religious definitions of health. Several independent variables were tested for their influence on the respondents' conceptualization. Sex seems to have a major impact on one's definition of health, and the value one places on the different aspects of life determines how one defines health. It is recommended that health professionals always assess their clients' definition of health prior to prescribing interventions. Health is not a commodity, but a basic right of human beings; and if community involvement is to become a reality, it should start with a public definition of the term “Health”.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Epp, J.:Achieving Health for All: A Framework for Health Promotion. Ottawa: Health & Welfare Canada, 1986.
Mahler, H, Present status of WHO's initiative “Health for all by the Year 2000”.Ann Rev Public Health 9:71–97, 1988.
World Health Organization:Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Ottawa: Health & Welfare Canada, 1986.
Mahler, H, The meaning of health for all by the year 2000.World Health Forum 2:5–22, 1981.
Canadian Nurses Association:Position Statement on Primary Health Care. Unpublished position paper. Canadian Nurses Association, 1989.
Hanna, KM, The meaning of health for graduate nursing students.Journal of Nursing Education 28: 372–376, 1989.
Boorse, C, Health as a theoretical concept.Philosophy of Science 44:542–573, 1977.
Fylkesner, H and Forde, OH, The Troms study: Predictors of self-evaluated health-has society adopted the expanded health concept.Social Science Medicine 32: 141–146, 1977.
Cardus, D and Thrall, RM, Overview: Health and the planning of health care systems.Prev Medicine 6: 137–142, 1991.
Dubos, R:Man Adapting. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965.
Baranowski, T, Toward the definition of concepts of health and disease, wellness and illness.Health Values 5: 246–256, 1981.
Morse, JM, The meaning of health in an inner city community.Nursing Papers 19: 27–41, 1987.
Bauman, B, Diversities in conceptions of health and physical fitness.Journal of Health and Human Behavior 2: 39–46, 1961.
Morse, JM:Perceptions of Health and Illness in Inner City Edmonton. Report prepared for Boyle McCauly Health Center, Edmonton, Alberta, 1983.
Stuifbergen, AK et al., Perceptions of health among adults with disabilities.Health Values 14: 18–26, 1990.
Laffrey, SC, Development of a health conception scale.Research in Nursing and Health 9: 107–113, 1986.
Koos, EL:The Health of Regionville, New York: Columbia University Press, 1954.
Di Cicco, L and Apple, D: Health needs and opinions of older adults. In D Apple (Ed.)Sociological Studies of Health and Sickness. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1960. Pp. 26–40
Mahler, H, Nurses lead the way.World Health 28–29, 1985.
Parson, T: Definitions of health and illness in the light of Americans values and social structure. In EG Jaco (Ed.)Patients, Physicians and Illness. New York: Free Press, 1972. Pp. 107–127.
Balog, JE, The concept of health and the role of health eduction.Journal of School Health 51: 461–464, 1981.
Leichtman, RR and Jepikse, C:The Way to Health: Part I: Its Origins. Columbus: Ariel Press, 1979.
Goodrich, AW:The Social and Ethical Significance of Nursing. New York: Macmillan Co., 1932. P. 15.
Pender, NJ, Expressing health through life style patterns.Nursing Science Quarterly 3: 115–122, 1990.
Schultz, TW: Investment in human capital. In BF Kiker (Ed.)Investment in Human Capital. Columbia, S.C.: Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1971. Pp. 3–21.
Pilch, JJ, Wellness spirituality.Health Values 12: 28–31, 1988.
Mansour, A,Health a cultural perspective or a universal dilemma. Manuscript submitted for publication, 1992.
Dolfman, M, The concept of health: An historic and analytical examination.Journal of School Health 43: 491–497, 1973.
Dunn, HL, What high-level wellness means.Health Values 1: 9–16, 1977.
Greenberg, JS, Health and wellness: A conceptual difference.Journal of School Health 55: 403–406, 1985.
Colantonio, A, Lay concepts of health.Health Values 12: 3–7, 1988.
Neugarten, BL, Havighurst, RL and Tobin, SS: Personality and problems of aging. In B Neugarten (Ed.)Middle Age and Aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968.
Woods, NF, Laffrey, S, Duffy, M et al., Being healthy: Women's images.ANS 11: 36–46, 1988.
Miller, JF,Coping with chronic illness. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis, 1983.
Ruffing-Rahal, MA, Well being and chronicity: Being singular rather than sick.Health Values 9: 17–22, 1985.
Logan, B and Dawkins, CE:Family centered nursing in the community. Amsterdam and San Juan: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Meleis, AI, Being and becoming healthy: The core of nursing knowledge.Nursing Science Quarterly 3: 107–114, 1990.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mansour, A.AH. The conceptualization of health among residents of Saskatoon. J Community Health 19, 165–179 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260377
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260377