Understanding Health and Well-Being

This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the factors that impact physical, mental, and social well-being, offering a broad definition of health and healthcare that moves beyond the biomedical model. Stressing that health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, the book addresses a diverse range of issues that influence individual, community, and population health. There are chapters on the microbiome, physical activity, and lifestyle and behavior, as well as the various social determinants of health, health literacy, and issues around mental health. Defining health as a wicked problem (i.e., one that is contested and endlessly complicated) the book provides an international lens which also includes coverage of global health and the impact of climate change. Including key concepts, end-of-chapter questions, and further reading, this is the perfect introductory text for students of public health, health studies, or health sciences.

William Montelpare, Professor, Margaret and Wallace McCain Chair in Human Development and Health, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Amanda Hudson, Director of Research, Planning, and Operations with Health PEI, Mental Health and Addictions, and Adjunct Professor, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

0.Preface. 1 .Essential Background. 2.Understanding Health as a Wicked Problem. 3.Epidemiological Applications for Human Health. 4.The Social Determinants of Health. 5.On the Importance of Health Literacy. 6.The Microbiome and How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health. 7.On the Importance of Being Physically Active. 8.Lifestyle Factors as Contributors to Health Outcomes. 9.Mental Health and Addictions. 10.On the Importance of Aging and Health. 11.Issues in Global Health. 12.Planetary Health in the Age of the Anthropocene. 13.Conclusion.