A vision for health in our new century

Our vision of good health is changing. Extraordinary progress was made over the course of the 20th century--life expectancy at birth increased by nearly 30 years and scientific insights revealed that our health fates are determined by interacting factors within each of the five major health domains. As life expectancies extend far beyond customary notions of old age, attention shifts from survival and toward improving the quality of life. Our beliefs about what makes for a healthy life are reorienting around a vision of new possibilities, in which we take full advantage of what we know about getting each child off to the right start; providing all the opportunity for lifelong vitality borne of healthy lifestyles; designing safe and nurturing physical environments for our communities; assuring that all have access to the kind of medical care they need; protecting the isolated or estranged from the illness or injury that often accompanies their condition; and providing comfort and choices for all at the end of life.