Spiritual_Wellness_Holistic_Health_and_the_Practic

30 Philosophical Foundations of Health Education
Sliepcevich, and Marian Solleder. They inspired me, challenged me, and encouraged
me for more than three decades. Although I am not really a collective clone of my former
professors and associates, my philosophy, theories, and methodologies of health
education are derived from the aforementioned individuals who remain as the number
one force that still influences me the most today in my professional endeavors.
Over time, in different teaching environments, and under differing circumstances,
my concepts of health education and even health itself have changed somewhat. Perhaps
the term evolved would more appropriately describe my altered perceptions of these
basic concepts. And yet, these newer constructs do not deviate too far from my earlier,
original beliefs and understandings of what I am, what I try to do, and why I do or do
not do certain things in my role as a health educator at Ball State University.
For instance, health itself has been defined by the World Health Organization as a
state of complete physical, mental, and social well - being, not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity. Though useful, this definition of health is not absolute, because
health itself means different things to different people. Some “ healthologists ” describe
health as a multidimensional condition including not only physical, but mental, social,
and even spiritual aspects, thus recognizing the holistic, unified view of each person.
Others view health as a commodity, a state or condition of the human individual to be
used in the pursuit of personal or social goals. Here, health is viewed as a means to
some end, rather than as an end in itself.
While all of these definitions have merit, I have come to view health in terms of
“ here - and - now ” well - being as well as past and future well - being (Carroll & Miller,
1991). As such, I now emphasize the changing nature of health and one ’ s potential
role in improving health status and in the prevention of disease. Accordingly, I define
health as a process of continuous change throughout one ’ s life cycle.
From the very beginning of human life until death, the human organism is confronted
with numerous forces that influence growth, development, maturity, well -
being, and eventual decline. These dynamic, interacting hereditary and environmental
forces may be either favorable or unfavorable, yet they determine the level of well -
being that any one person experiences at any one time (Hoyman, 1965). Moreover,
these interacting forces are continuous and bring about accommodations or adaptations
within one ’ s total self. Consequently, health may be perceived as an ever-changing
process involving various interactions and adaptive responses. In essence, health is the
ability to function both effectively and happily and as long as possible in a particular
environment (Dubos, 1965). Now, this operational definition of health isn ’ t too far
removed from Oberteuffer and Beyrer ’ s (1966) original, yet more succinct offering in
which they defined health as “ the condition of the organism which measures the degree
to which its aggregate powers are able to function. ”
Having formulated a broad definition of health, I should now like to focus on
some of my adventures and struggles in the process of health education — the attempt
to help people apply what is known about health to their own lives. Initially, I would
have described my undertakings as process - oriented, that is, helping students make
informed decisions about personal and social health concerns and motivating them to