The classic Roman aphorism mens sana in corpore sano, or “a healthy mind in a healthy body,” reflects the belief that both types of health are important for a rich and meaningful life. But today, “health” often refers exclusively to physical health. Indeed, an estimated 75 percent of health-related studies have primary endpoints that address only physical health,
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Key survey findings
while other critical components of health – mental, social and spiritual (spiritual health including meaning, belonging, purpose and identity, not strictly religious belief
All dimensions of health matter
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The presence of disease doesn’t always align with perceptions of health
)—are largely neglected. To see also : The 988 healthcare provider hopes it will reduce suicide.
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Age does not always equate to perceptions of health
There is a negative correlation between life expectancy at birth and perception of health
The McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) found that countries and societies would benefit from adopting a modernized, holistic framework for health that spans multiple dimensions.
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Health perception and household income are positively connected in most countries
Such a broad definition of health, with greater emphasis on well-being, was proposed as early as 1948 by the World Health Organization (WHO), which defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. On the same subject : Know Your Rights: Reproductive Health Care.”
Overall, people feel best supported in their health needs by family and friends
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People who feel well supported in their health needs report better health
In 2022, MHI conducted a global survey of approximately 1,000 respondents in each of 19 countries to understand how communities around the world define health and what factors they believe influence it. Overall, respondents placed value on all four dimensions of health – physical, mental, social and spiritual – adopting a much broader view than the health systems of the countries in which they live. Read also : The number of health professionals entering substance use and mental health programs is increasing. The results also showed that a sense of health is not limited to the absence or presence of disease, indicating that people around the world can focus more on how they can live full and functional lives on their own terms.
At the same time, the research results revealed significant differences in individual views, needs and received support, often based on country, gender, age or income. For example, although more than 70 percent of respondents rated their overall health as good or very good, this percentage ranges from about 30 percent in Japan
Women and men report equivalent health support, despite evidence of inequities
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Individuals with a disease report lower health support than those with no disease
to about 90 percent in Nigeria.
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Toward a modernized approach of health
Less than 7 percent of the total number of respondents rated their health as bad or very bad.
This article highlights the survey’s most meaningful findings as a starting point for ongoing dialogue and research (for more information about the survey, see the sidebar, “Survey Scope and Methodology”).
Approximately 85 percent of the total number of respondents rated mental and physical health as very important or extremely important; 70 percent and 62 percent, respectively, used those two ratings to describe the importance placed on social and spiritual health. Recent studies also confirm the importance of social and spiritual health, showing, for example, that loneliness and social isolation are associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke
