ABSTRACT
Changing Problems At the start of its Constitution, the World Health Organization (WHO; 2004d) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing.” This focus on the positive attributes of health as a resource for living, rather than on the presence or absence of disease and infirmity, has profound implications for health planning and for social policy generally. Although the definition distinguishes between physical, mental, and social wellbeing, it does not suggest that any one of these is preeminent. Thus, in considering any public policy related to health, its implications need to be assessed in all three of these domains.
