Concepts of health and illness

![CDATA[This chapter introduces the concepts of health and illness/unwellness. An understanding of the dimensions of these concepts and knowledge of how uniquely people experience them, is particularly important when planning care that is relationship-centred. In its broadest sense, health is a complex, multidimensional concept that is personally and socially constructed by the interaction between someone’s physical self, the health choices they make, society, and the circumstances in which they live (Clendon & Munns, 2018; McMurray & Clendon, 2015). Being healthy extends beyond the structure and functioning of the body to include a person’s interpersonal relationships and social, spiritual, and cultural networks. In Australia and New Zealand’s multicultural societies, a person’s individual health is embedded in whānau/family and community health, and is affected by national and world health agendas (Baum, 2016; Clendon & Munns, 2018; McMurray & Clendon, 2015). Health is one of the most basic human concerns. Keleher and MacDougall (2016, p.3) suggest this is evidenced daily with the greeting ‘How are you?’ In planning care that is relationship-centred, it relies on skilful implementation of nursing and midwifery competencies and must be done collaboratively with the person and, where relevant, whānau/family members or significant others.]]