1. Positive Concept of Health
Negative Concept of Health
You are healthy when you have the absence of disease
Therefore, if you don’t have a disease, you are healthy
Well Being
Not JUST the absence of disease
Feeling good in many ways

2. Holistic Concept of Health

3. The World Health Organisation (WHO)
“A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” ( Do you think this is a positive or negative concept of health? Is it a holistic concept of health? Explain your answer.

4. M1
“I don’t think I know when I’m healthy, I only know if I’m ill”, Office worker aged 28; Blaxter 1990
“My health is a reflection of my lifestyle –
I need to be spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically whole to be truly healthy.
I believe complete wholeness is only attainable through reconciliation with God” Herbalist; Stainton Rogers 1991
Harvard Reference:
BLAXTER, M (2004), Health, Cornwall: Polity

5. M1
“Health is to feel proud - when you can go out and you can hold up your head, look good. You don’t have so many hang-ups, and you think straight” Computer Operator, 25; Blaxter 1990
“Health is being able to walk around better and doing some work in the house when my knees let me. ” Woman of 79; Blaxter 1990
“…illness is a kind of rest, when you can be free of your every-day burdens… for me; illness is breaking off from social life, from life outside social obligations. ” Herzlich 1973
Harvard Reference:
BLAXTER, M (2004), Health, Cornwall: Polity

6. M1
Explain which sociological perspectives you think 2 of concepts are from.
Explain whether the 2 concepts of health you chose from are positive, negative or holistic.
Describe whether they incorporate any elements of sociological, environmental, psychological, spiritual or physical health.