The Lancet
What is health? The ability to adapt
health state complete physical mental social wellbeing merely absence disease infirmity first part formulation enshrined whos famous founding constitution adopted 1946 supposed provide transformative vision health one went beyond prevailing negative conception health based absence pathology neither definition era marked new understandings disease molecular individual societal levels given know important influence genome disease even optimistic health advocate surely accept impossibility riskfree wellbeing said conjunction physical psychological social remains powerfully relevant day indeed framework extended two dimensions first human health cannot separated health total planetary biodiversity human beings exist biological vacuum live interdependent existence totality living world second dimension realm inanimate living world depends upon healthy interaction inanimate world thanks science climate change understand well contingent human wellbeing health earths systems energy exchange science contributed understanding wellbeing ingenious apparatus techniques reveal causal pathways ill health also evidence amelioration language science inhibitory example notion suffering longer fashionable scientific word seems vague oldfashioned harking back time clinical impotence patients endure tolerate pain without respite relief science aims deliver means eliminate much passed human suffering opening article series health occupied palestinian territory shows dimensions suffering especially community level measurable often severe science eradicated suffering despite enormous power deliver technologies improve health humble experience individuals rather simply drawing reductive report cards health status opens possibility realistic understanding means healthy fact one cannot healthy unhealthy society health certainly encompass complex determinants illness say induce feeling fatigue even defeat obstacles minimum quantity health seem huge complex almost impossible single doctor influence effects take modest view health means perhaps may able transcend complexities disease offer practical mission modern medicine mission set clearly french physician georges canguilhem 1943 book normal pathological canguilhem rejected idea normal abnormal states health saw health something defined statistically mechanistically rather saw health ability adapt ones environment health fixed entity varies every individual depending circumstances health defined doctor person according functional needs role doctor help individual adapt unique prevailing conditions meaning personalised medicine beauty canguilhems definition healthof normalityis includes animate inanimate environment well physical mental social dimensions human life puts individual patient doctor position selfdetermining authority define health needs doctor becomes partner delivering needs scientific journal canguilhems definition liberating using adaptability test health journal evolve address changing circumstances disease adaptability frees us agile face shifting forces shape wellbeing individuals populations canguilhems definition also allows us respond disease globally taking account context conditions particular place well time health elusive well motivating idea replacing perfection adaptation get closer compassionate comforting creative programme medicineone contribute health status health services occupied palestinian territorywe describe demographic characteristics health status health services palestinian population living israelioccupied palestinian territory way modified 60 years continuing war conditions 40 years israeli military occupation although health literacy education currently higher standard israelioccupied palestinian territory several arab countries 52 families 40 west bank 74 gaza strip living poverty line us315 per person per day 2007 fulltext pdf