Health, illness, and well-being : an introduction

The concept of health has different meaning to different people. Each individual has a different perception and experience of health, illness, and well-being. For some people, health may mean being active and fit. For others, health means having a balance in their lives, being productive or able to fulfil their responsibilities. Additionally, members of one cultural group may see health, illness, and well-being differently. In Australia, the notion that health is of primary importance is pervasive. This is reflected in the fact that health and illness are featured in all kinds of media. Often there are reports or stories about health issues, health-related behaviours and experiences, the importance of fitness and health, new medical and scientific discoveries healthcare services and government policies. There are many things that can determine our health, illness, and well-being. These range from societal influences to individual aspects such as genetic makeup as well as the healthcare to which we have access. These are referred to ‘the determinants of health’ since they ‘determine how likely we are to stay healthy or become ill.’ According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the health, illness, and well-being of an individual comprise many aspects: ‘They result from a complex interplay between societal, environmental, socioeconomic, biological and lifestyle factors.’ This chapter will take you through several important concepts. First, the meaning of health, illness, well-being, and disease is introduced. Then these meanings are discussed within a cultural context. The determinants of health are then introduced. Last, the relationships between health determinants are discussed, in particular the intersection of gender, ethnicity, and social class.