[From risk factors to health resources. From theory to medical practice]

In this article, we emphasize some of the problems related to the choice of risk factor identification and intervention as the dominant medical strategy for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Knowledge about risk factors can provide hypotheses about origins of disease and predict disease at a group level. However, there are several pitfalls related to this perspective concerning causal factors, end points, informed consent, group level based possibilities and medicalization. A salutogenic perspective shifts the attention toward resources which might counteract risk of disease. Increased attention to people's personal health resources--assessed by the doctor as well as by the person herself--can contribute to a better balance in medical theory and practice by stimulating the strength of people rather than looking only for weaknesses.