![]() ![]() More recently Seligman (2011) introduced the PERMA model of flourishing, which has five core elements of psychological well-being: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Positive psychology reflects the core public health principle of protecting and improving health, focusing on keeping people well rather than treating illness. The FPH’s definition of mental wellbeing is synonymous with the WHO’s holistic and positive definition of health, and with the positive psychology approach advocated by Seligman (2000). The report sets out the public health perspective on public mental health, and highlights examples of good practice to improve wellbeing in local populations. This is discussed in the 2016 report Better Mental Health For All published by the Faculty of Public Health and Mental Health Foundation. This does not mean to say however that it cannot be defined or measured, and there has been considerable progress in this area. It is widely accepted that subjective wellbeing varies greatly between individuals, as do the factors that contribute to it. ![]() Wellbeing sits outside the medical model of health as its presence or absence is not a diagnosis. Public mental health policy aims to improve population mental health and wellbeing, prevent the onset of mental and emotional distress, and increase resilience.ĭefining wellbeing is key to discussing and conceptualising mental health and public mental health, with much debate and some controversy over recent years. Since the publication of the Government strategy No Health Without Mental Health in 2011, NHS England has been working towards parity of esteem between physical and mental health – in other words, ensuring that mental health is recognised as equally important to physical health in the development, delivery and provision of health and social care services. Responsibility for health is seen as individual rather than collective, with little scope to promote it as a human right.īroadening definitions of health has contributed to improving understanding of the mental dimension of health and wellbeing, and increasing recognition of public mental health as integral to public health. A further limitation of this approach is that it is very individualistic and takes little account of the wider determinants of health (see Section 9). This is considered by many to be a limitation of broader definitions of health, on the grounds that wellbeing is neither objective nor measurable this is discussed in more detail below ( Mental health and wellbeing). It also acknowledges the subjective element of health what health and wellbeing mean will differ from one person to the next, depending on the context and their needs. (2011) proposed a new definition of health as ‘the ability to adapt and to self-manage’, which includes the ability of people to adapt to their situation as key to health. Furthermore, it might be argued that focusing on ‘complete’ health as a goal contributes to the overmedicalisation of society by pathologising suboptimal health states (see Sections 7 & 8). It fails to take into account not just temporary spells of ill health, but also the growing number of people living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. From this perspective health is a means to living well, which highlights the link between health and participation in society.Ī major criticism of this view of health is that it is unrealistic, because it ‘leaves most of us unhealthy most of the time’ (Smith, 2008) few, if any people will have complete physical, mental and social wellbeing all the time, which can make this approach unhelpful and counterproductive (see Godlee, 2011). This definition was adapted by the 1986 Ottawa charter, which describes health as ‘a resource for everyday life, not the object of living’. ![]() ![]() ‘Wellbeing’ refers to a positive rather than neutral state, framing health as a positive aspiration. The WHO definition links health explicitly with wellbeing, and conceptualises health as a human right requiring physical and social resources to achieve and maintain. It differs from the traditional medical model, which defines health as the absence of illness or disease and emphasises the role of clinical diagnosis and intervention. This is consistent with the biopsychosocial model of health, which considers physiological, psychological and social factors in health and illness, and interactions between these factors. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO, 1948). We are currently in the process of updating this chapter and we appreciate your patience whilst this is being completed.Ĭoncepts of health, wellbeing and illness, and the aetiology of illness: Section 3. ![]()
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