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Bircher J, Hahn EG. Understanding the nature of health: New perspectives for medicine and public health. Improved wellbeing at lower costs. F1000Res. 2016;5:167doi: 10.12688/f1000research.7849.1.
Bircher, J., & Hahn, E. G. (2016). Understanding the nature of health: New perspectives for medicine and public health. Improved wellbeing at lower costs. F1000Research, 5167. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.7849.1
Bircher, Johannes, and Hahn, Eckhart G. "Understanding the nature of health: New perspectives for medicine and public health. Improved wellbeing at lower costs." F1000Research vol. 5 (2016): 167. doi: https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.7849.1
Bircher J, Hahn EG. Understanding the nature of health: New perspectives for medicine and public health. Improved wellbeing at lower costs. F1000Res. 2016 Feb 12;5:167. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.7849.1. eCollection 2016. PMID: 27134730; PMCID: PMC4837984.
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F1000Res. 2016 Feb 12;5:167. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.7849.1. eCollection 2016.

Understanding the nature of health: New perspectives for medicine and public health. Improved wellbeing at lower costs.

F1000Research

Johannes Bircher, Eckhart G Hahn

Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatology, University of Bern, Meikirch, Switzerland.
  2. Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.

PMID: 27134730 PMCID: PMC4837984 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.7849.1

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Current dilemmas of health care systems call for a new look at the nature of health. This is offered by the Meikirch model. We explore its hypothetical benefit for the future of medicine and public health. Meikirch model: It states: "Health is a dynamic state of wellbeing emergent from conducive interactions between individuals' potentials, life's demands, and social and environmental determinants." "Throughout the life course health results when an individuals' biologically given potential (BGP) and his or her personally acquired potential (PAP), interacting with social and environmental determinants, satisfactorily respond to the demands of life."

METHODS: We explored the Meikirch model's possible applications for personal and public health care.

RESULTS: The PAP of each individual is the most modifiable component of the model. It responds to constructive social interactions and to personal growth. If an individual's PAP is nurtured to develop further, it likely will contribute much more to health than without fostering. It may also compensate for losses of the BGP. An ensuing new culture of health may markedly improve health in the society. The rising costs of health care presumably are due in part to the tragedy of the commons and to moral hazard. Health as a complex adaptive system offers new possibilities for patient care, particularly for general practitioners.

DISCUSSION: Analysis of health systems by the Meikirch model reveals that in many areas more can be done to improve people's health and to reduce health care costs than is done today. The Meikirch model appears promising for individual and public health in low and high income countries. Emphasizing health instead of disease the Meikirch model reinforces article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of the United Nations - that abandons the WHO definition - and thereby may contribute to its reinterpretation.

Keywords: Definition of health; Meikirch model; health as a complex adaptive system; innovative health policies; potentials for health; responsibility for health; social aspects of health, culture of health, health economy

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