What is the World Health Organization's definition of health?

What is the World Health Organization's definition of health?

• A. A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
• B. The absence of disease or infirmity
• C. The ability to perform work without limitations
• D. The absence of disability

Answer: (A)

Health is a multidimensional state. The main idea being tested is that health isn’t just the absence of illness but a positive condition across physical, mental, and social domains. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This means you can be free of disease yet still have challenges in mental or social areas that prevent you from being truly healthy. The other options narrow health to a single factor—absence of disease, absence of disability, or just the ability to work—which misses the broader, holistic perspective that encompasses overall well-being and functioning. In practice, this definition helps health professionals, including physical therapists, focus on how a person feels, functions, and participates in life, not just on treating symptoms.

Health is a multidimensional state. The main idea being tested is that health isn’t just the absence of illness but a positive condition across physical, mental, and social domains. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This means you can be free of disease yet still have challenges in mental or social areas that prevent you from being truly healthy. The other options narrow health to a single factor—absence of disease, absence of disability, or just the ability to work—which misses the broader, holistic perspective that encompasses overall well-being and functioning. In practice, this definition helps health professionals, including physical therapists, focus on how a person feels, functions, and participates in life, not just on treating symptoms.