According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Health is: "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

 

However, health is dynamic, variable, individual and collective. Health is a process, not a state, obtained when individuals interact with their environment and between themselves.

 

There are four determinants for health.

1. The biological factors, like genetics and the immune system.

2. The environment, with factors that include access to clean water, good air quality and shelter.

3. The socio-economic and cultural factors, which are: lifestyle, income, education, and culture.

4. Lastly, we have the health services, like hospitals and clinics.

 

The primary factor that determines health is lifestyle. Currently there are large sums of money invested in health services but not in the prevention of diseases.

 

The WHO determined that the leading causes of death in the world are noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). These diseases are chronic and are mainly heart diseases. Ischaemic heart disease is the cause of 13.2% of deaths in the world and is currently followed by strokes, 11.9%. Hypertension and Diabetes mellitus account for 2% of deaths worldwide. However, the two diseases mentioned above cause many complications which include heart disease.

 

Globally in 2012, NCDs were responsible for 68% of deaths. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in developed countries (high-income countries).

 

Nonetheless, chronic diseases can be prevented.

 

 

 

Bibliography:

1. AVILA-AGUERO, María Luisa. Hacia una nueva Salud Pública: determinantes de la Salud. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2009, vol.51, n.2, pp. 71-73 . <http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-60022009000200002&lng=en&nrm=iso>.

2. Ministerio de la Salud. Modelo Conceptual y Estratégico del Ejercicio de la Función Rectora de Vigilancia de la Salud. 2008.

3. World Health Organization. Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Country Profiles. 2014.