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Health, Functioning, and Well-being: Individual and Societal
Gerold Stucki1, Jerome Bickenbach1
1Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland; Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|March 31, 2019
Summary
Focusing on people's lived health experiences and daily functioning is key. This approach links healthcare provision to individual well-being and societal welfare, moving beyond just mortality and morbidity metrics.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Sociology of Health
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- Societal investments in health are substantial, based on the presumed link between health, individual well-being, and societal welfare.
- The precise nature of this link and supporting evidence remain subjects of debate and require clearer operationalization.
- Current metrics like mortality and morbidity may not fully capture the impact of healthcare on lived experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To operationalize well-being in a measurable way relevant to healthcare provision.
- To establish a clear link between healthcare services, individual well-being, and broader societal welfare.
- To propose a framework for evaluating health that prioritizes the lived experience of individuals.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current well-being measurement attempts.
- Conceptual analysis linking healthcare, individual experience, and societal outcomes.
- Proposal of 'functioning' as a key health indicator, drawing from the WHO's ICF.
Main Results:
- The lived experience of health and its impact on daily life are central to individual well-being.
- Functioning, as defined by the WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), effectively captures this lived experience.
- Functioning serves as a crucial metric bridging healthcare provision with well-being and welfare.
Conclusions:
- Functioning should be considered a primary health indicator, alongside mortality and morbidity.
- Measuring and prioritizing functioning can strengthen the connection between healthcare investments and tangible improvements in individual and societal welfare.
- A focus on functioning offers a more holistic approach to understanding and improving population health outcomes.
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