[Theoretical aspects of a study of total morbidity in the population]

Analysis of definitions of health, the borderline between health and disease, diagnostic criteria of health and disease, the relativity of health, the problem of nosology, nomenclature and statistical classification of diseases lead to the conclusion that criteria for assessment of the general morbidity of the individual or populations must be solved in a simplified manner with regard to the standard of contemporary knowledge and with regard to possibilities of the practical procedure. The most acceptable criterion for the limitation affect of health included under general morbidity in this concept is: diseases which call for medical care. Problems of methodological approaches to investigations of the general morbidity will be the subject of further articles.