Health and wellbeing

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in its 1948 constitution as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This definition has been subject to controversy, in particular as lacking operational value and because of the problem created by use of the word "complete". Other definitions have been proposed, among which a recent definition that correlates health and personal satisfaction.

The term "healthy" is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of healthy communities, healthy cities or healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a person's surroundings, a number of other factors are known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic, social conditions, and spirituality; these are referred to as "determinants of health." Studies have shown that high levels of stress can affect human health. W ...see also: well-being, Mental health, Health and climate


What communities can do

  • help people understand that "the climate crisis is a health crisis" [1]
  • Ecotherapy
  • Green Gym
  • Healthy Living Projects
  • Healthy eating projects
  • Health and sustainability Fairs
  • Walking for Health initiatives and Community walking projects

Health and climate

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Green exercise

Green exercise refers to physical exercise undertaken in natural environments. Physical exercise is well known to provide physical and psychological health benefits. There is also good evidence that viewing, being in, and interacting with natural environments has positive effects, reducing stress and increasing the ability to cope with stress, reducing mental fatigue and improving concentration and cognitive function. W

Green Gym

The Conservation Volunteers' (UK community volunteering charity that works to create healthier and happier communities for everyone through environmental conservation) Green Gym programme aims to provide people with a way to enhance their fitness and health while taking action to improve the outdoor environment. It can be seen as enabling people to get fit who would not normally attend a conventional gym or sports centre. W

Resources

  • Helping one another to discover what is already out there! edgeryders.eu

Quotes

"As a public health doctor, I know that by eliminating the local consequences of fossil fuel emissions, and lifting whole communities out of poverty, the Green New Deal will also be a Public Health New Deal." Abdul El-Sayed [2]

Video

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Wellbeing

News and comment

2021

2020

Barcelona's car-free 'superblocks' could save hundreds of lives, Sep 10 [4]

World health leaders urge green recovery from coronavirus crisis, May 26 [5] ...Towards sustainable economies news

The pandemic isn’t a portal, yet, Neal Gorenflo, Apr 27 [6]

What is Coronavirus Teaching us About Resilience? David Jacobin, Mar 15 [7]

2019

Air pollution is now a 'health emergency', head of NHS England warns, Oct 21 [8] ...Environment quality UK

Mending hearts: how a ‘repair economy’ creates a kinder, more caring community, Jun 12 [9] ...Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle

New Zealand 'wellbeing' budget promises billions to care for most vulnerable, May 30 [10]

Urban co-design for better wellbeing and health: Healthy New Town, Jan 9 [11] ...Urban sustainability UK

2018

Save millions of lives by tackling climate change, says WHO, Dec 5 [12]

Air pollution now 'largest health crisis', Nov 22 [13]

Prototyping a ‘Citizen Research Centre’ by Sarah Drummond, Nov 14 [14]

Future proofing with kindness, Oct 9 [15] ...Food UK news

How do you build a healthy city? Copenhagen reveals its secrets, Feb 11 [16]

We need to talk about ageing – and it’s about far more than the NHS, Feb 4, John Harris [17] ...Health and wellbeing UK

2017

Huge health gap revealed between UK’s rich and poor, Dec 23 [18]

Economic Inequality and Health Inequality Are Inextricably Linked, Dec 5 [19] ...US news

Being poor kills – to improve public health the government must tackle inequality, Apr 10 [20] ...Health and wellbeing UK

2016

Can Commons Thinking Drive a New Health System? Nov 30 [21]

2014

World’s first passive house hospital planned, July 18 [22]

2009

Sustainable Medicine, Cuba and Peak oil, 20 October [23]

Climate change is the biggest health threat of the 21st Century, May 14 [24]

2008

Integrated health strategies can save children’s lives, says UNICEF flagship, State of the World’s Children Report 2008, January 22 [25]

Wellbeing

Well-being, wellbeing, or wellness is the condition of an individual or group. A high level of well-being means that in some sense the individual's or group's condition is positive.

"Wellness refers to diverse and interconnected dimensions of physical, mental, and social well-being that extend beyond the traditional definition of health. It includes choices and activities aimed at achieving physical vitality, mental alacrity, social satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, and personal fulfillment." [26]

UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition

The ONS defines wellbeing "as having 10 broad dimensions which have been shown to matter most to people in the UK as identified through a national debate. The dimensions are:

  • the natural environment,
  • personal well-being,
  • our relationships,
  • health,
  • what we do,
  • where we live,
  • personal finance,
  • the economy,
  • education and skills, and
  • governance.

Personal wellbeing is a particularly important dimension which we define as how satisfied we are with our lives, our sense that what we do in life is worthwhile, our day to day emotional experiences (happiness and anxiety) and our wider mental wellbeing." [27]

Community and planetary wellbeing

Community action for sustainability is concerned with at least three complementary, overlapping and interlocking kinds of wellbeing: Environmental, Social and Economic. see also: Joined-up solutions, Genuine progress indicator W, Happy Planet Index W. Some have suggested a fourth kind, Spiritual well being, is also important. see: Why it matters. Similarly, for example the Transition movement includes concern for 'Inner Transition' [28]

Quality of life

Quality of life is the general well-being of individuals and societies, outlining negative and positive features of life. It observes life satisfaction, including everything from physical health, family, education, employment, wealth, safety, security to freedom, religious beliefs, and the environment. QOL has a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, politics and employment.

Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of living, which is based primarily on income. [29]

Mental health

The World Health Organization describes mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community". Mental Health is not just the absence of mental illness. W

Events

Mar 8 International Women's Day, 2020, Sun

Mar 20 International Day of Happiness 2020, Fri

Apr 7 World Health Day 2020, Tue

Oct 10 World Mental Health Day, 2019, Thu

See also

In a way all CASwiki topics are about community wellbeing

  • local information can be found, or shared, via our many location pages
  • Wikipedia: Health, Ecopsychology, Green exercise, Green Gym, Health impact assessment, Environmental justice, Transnational movement networks
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References

  1. ↑ Health Professionals at the Global Climate Strikes, youtube.com
  2. ↑ The Alternative UK
  3. ↑ theguardian.com
  4. ↑ The Guardian
  5. ↑ theguardian.com
  6. ↑ @shareable
  7. ↑ davidjacobin.com
  8. ↑ The Independent
  9. ↑ theconversation.com
  10. ↑ The Guardian
  11. ↑ What Works Centre for Wellbeing
  12. ↑ The Guardian
  13. ↑ theecologist.org
  14. ↑ Medium
  15. ↑ incredibleedible.org.uk
  16. ↑ The Guardian
  17. ↑ The Guardian
  18. ↑ The Guardian
  19. ↑ citylab.com
  20. ↑ leftfootforward.org
  21. ↑ @Shareable
  22. ↑ Passive House Plus
  23. ↑ off-grid.net, 20 Oct 2009
  24. ↑ University College London, May 14, 2009
  25. ↑ UNICEF, January 22 2008
  26. ↑ Well-being W
  27. ↑ Well-being W
  28. ↑ transitionnetwork.org
  29. ↑ Quality of life W
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