The Concept of Health, Public Health and Primary Health.

Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity now
added the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life.
Biomedical Concept: Psychosocial Concept:
Health means “absence of disease.” It was felt that Advances in social sciences showed that health is not
human body is a machine and disease is an outcome of only a biomedical phenomenon, but one which is
the breakdown of the machine, and one of the doctor’s influenced by social, psychological, cultural, economic and
tasks was to repair the machine. Developments in political factors of the people concerned. Thus health is
medical and social sciences led to the conclusion that the both a biological and social phenomenon.
biomedical concept of health was inadequate. Holistic Concept:
Ecological Concept: Holistic concept recognizes the strength of social,
Ecologists viewed health as a dynamic equilibrium economic, political and environmental influences on
between man and his environment, and disease – a health. It has been variously described as
maladjustment of the human organism to environment. multidimensional process involving the wellbeing of the
person as a whole the emphasis is on the promotion and
protection of health.

Public Health
The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health and efficiency through organized
community efforts for the sanitation-of the environment, to control of communicable diseases, education of the individual in
personal hygiene, the organization of medical and nursing services for the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of
disease and the development of social machinery to ensure every individual a standard of living adequate for the
maintenance of health, so organizing these benefits as to enable every citizen to realize his birth right of health and
longevity.

PRIMARY HEATH
Primary health care is essential care made universally accessible to individuals and acceptable to them, through full
participation and a cost the community and country can afford. Primary health care approach is based on principles of social
equity, nationwide coverage, self-reliance, Intersectoral coordination, and people’s involvement in the planning and
implementation of health programs in pursuit of common health goals

 Needs of the residents.  Proximity to other health care services in the

 Availability of health care providers. area.
 The community’s geographic location.

The Components of Health, Public Health and Primary Health care.

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 Health
Health is the state of well-being in which all of the components of health are in balance. Wellness is broken down into 6
major categories.
Physical health:
This component deals with nutrition, how balanced a
healthy one eats, exercises, and rests. It is actually how
your body functions, that you are free of diseases that
your organs and everything in your body works properly.
Social health:
This has to do with the quality of relationships one has,
such as friends, family members, teachers, and others
one is in contact with. Again, a common thought one has
is that being healthy with this means being the most
popular kid at school, but in reality those are the ones
that suffer the most in this area.
Mental Health:
The ability to recognize reality and cope with the
demands of daily life. In this area, one must be free of
mental disorders, such as hypochondria, phobia, bipolar
disease, schizophrenia, etc. There are treatments
available for people who suffer this.
Emotional health:
Emotional health is expressing your emotions in a
positive, non-destructive way. This component is strongly
related to mental health, because everything goes in our
brains.
Spiritual health:
Maintaining harmonious relationships with other living
things and having spiritual direction and purpose in life. It
also includes living according to one’s ethics, morals and
values.
Environmental health:
Keeping your air and water clean, your food safe and the
land around you enjoyable. This is all about the impacts of
our surroundings in our health.

Public Health
Public health infrastructure includes 3 key components these components are:

 A capable and qualified workforce.  Public health agencies capable of assessing

 Up-to-date data and information systems. and responding to public health needs.

PRIMARY Health
Public Education:
Public education is the first, and one of the most
essential, components of primary health care. By
educating the public on the prevention and control of
health problems.
Proper Nutrition:
Nutrition is another essential component of health care.
WHO works to prevent malnutrition and starvation and to
prevent many diseases and afflictions.
Clean Water & Sanitation:
A supply of clean, safe drinking water, and basic
sanitation measures regarding trash, sewage and water
cleanliness can significantly improve the health of a
population, reducing and even eliminating many
preventable diseases.
Maternal & Child Health Care:
Ensuring comprehensive and adequate health care to
children and to mothers, both expecting and otherwise, is
another essential element of primary health care.
Immunization:
By administering global immunizations, WHO works to
wipe out major infectious diseases, greatly improving
overall health globally.
Local Disease Control:
Prevention and control of local diseases is critical to
promoting primary health care in a population. Many
diseases vary based on location.
Accessible Treatment:
Another important component of primary health care is
access to appropriate medical care for the treatment of
diseases and injuries.
Drug Provision:
By providing essential drugs to those who need them,
such as antibiotics to those with infections, caregivers can
help prevent disease from escalating.

The principles of Health, Public Health and Primary Health Care.

Health

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Optimism:
Optimism is the necessary hope and belief that your
decisions do make a difference. The perspective held here
is that optimism can be modified for specific situations
and even modified over time.
Values:
Sometimes personal values are difficult to articulate, and
sometimes these appear to be in conflict with one
another. With so much of life involving other people, the
emphasis upon human respect and cultural competence
is highlighted with worksheets on these topics.
Self-Care:
Self-care is a broadly defined area, implying the
importance of self-responsibility for the wide range of
personal decisions. These decisions focus upon numerous
behaviors over which each of us has tremendous
influence.
Relationships:
Building quality interactions with others is an opportunity
and a responsibility throughout our lives. We have
relationships with family members, including our family of
upbringing as well as our evolving adult family.
Public Health
The Epidemiology Triangle:
Epidemiology was founded for the purpose of disease
prevention. But the same rules can apply to injuries too.
Many public health and injury prevention practitioners
use the same rules and guidelines developed in
epidemiology to detect or find the patterns of the injuries
happening in their community.
Levels of Prevention:
Understanding the occurrence of injury isn’t enough to
fully address the design and implementation of
preventive measures. We again draw from a basic public
health concept - that there are 3 levels of
prevention...primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Passive & Active Approaches:
It is also important to note that the preventive measures
we employ are categorized as either PASSIVE or ACTIVE
Primary Health Care
Equitable distribution of health services:
Equitable distribution of health resources within the
country with preferential allocation to those in greatest
Community:
Man may belong to multiple communities, to address
different needs or aspects of their lives in different
settings. In other settings and walks throughout life,
engagement as a valued participant is an important
ingredient in community membership.
Nature:
This involves identifying ways of increasing our
appreciation of the nature surrounding us, as well as
gaining greater understanding of the interconnectedness
of the natural world. The worksheet provides a
foundation – just a starting point – for identifying how
each of us can better engage the nature that surrounds
us.
Service:
Service is a matter of giving back, and sharing some of
ourselves with others. Service is providing our skills and
resources to those who would benefit from them.
Service includes volunteering our time and energy, and it
involves the pro bono activities with which we become
involved.
strategies. Passive strategies are often preferred over
active strategies because they are automatic and protect
everyone, and require no cooperation or action on part of
those you intend to protect.
Multiple Program Targets for Change:
Risks for injuries occur at three different levels: the
individual level, the societal level, and the
environmental/engineering level. Preventing injuries
requires different approaches at each level of risk. Some
of these approaches include education, public awareness
campaigns, legislation and enforcement, engineering, and
modifying the environment.
Effective Strategies:
Effective means producing or capable of producing a
desired effect. In this case, the desired effect is to reduce
injuries.
need e.g. PHC services should be given according to
priority of needs i.e. the needy and vulnerable groups of
the population in rural areas and urban slums.
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Community participation:
Definition: It is the process by which individuals and
families assumes responsibility for their own health and
welfare and for those of community and develop the
capacity to contribute to their and the community's
development.
Intersectoral co-ordination
Only the health care sector cannot provide primary health
care alone. PHC also involves all related sector and
aspects of national and community development
particularly
Appropriate technology:
Technology should be scientifically sound Adaptable to
local needs. Acceptable to the community Community
and country can afford.
Equitable distribution
Health services must be shared equally by all people
irrespective of their ability to pay and all (rich, poor,
urban or rural) must have access to health services.
Equal distribution:
Health service must be shared equally by all people