Health, Illness and Well-being

Health, Illness and Wellbeing provides an introduction to some of the important ideas that underlie the field of public health, showing students the forces and trends that combine to shape the health of individuals, communities, and populations. It provides the basis for a career in any of the health sciences where insight into the meaning of health will allow for the development of effective practice and greater sensitivity to the needs of the community. This book introduces a range of topics related to health and well-being in the context of a conceptual framework of determinants of health. The first part of the book focuses on perspectives of health and well-being and highlights the way in which people think about how health is informed by biological, environmental, and social factors that affect whole populations. The second part of the book centres on social, cultural and economic determinants of health specifically to show the ways in which the experience of health is coloured by the characteristics of the society in which people live. Each chapter is free standing, but all are linked through the framework of determinants that gives the reader an understanding of the causes of health, rather than just the effects of health status in society.

Professor Pranee Liamputtong, Personal Chair in Public Health at the School of Public Health, La Trobe University. Pranee has a particular interest in issues related to cultural and social influences on childbearing, childrearing and women's reproductive and sexual health. She has published books and a large number of papers in these areas. Dr Rebecca Fanany, Lecturer in the School of Public Health, La Trobe University. Her research interests include the ways in which health is conceptualised; the interaction between language, culture, religion and health practices; and health status in the context of social and cultural change.

Dr Glenda Verrinder, Senior Lecturer in the La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University. Her current teaching, research and publications reflect her interest in population health with respect to health promotion and ecological sustainability.

Health, Illness and Wellbeing: Perspectives and Social Determinants introduces students to the important ideas that underlie the field of public health today. Written for beginning students, it provides an overview of the forces and trends that combine to shape the health of individuals, communities, and populations, within a conceptual framework of determinants of health.The book examines the biological, environmental, social, cultural and economic determinants of health, within the context of their causes and interrelationships. It is structured to enable students to understand and reflect upon health; how it is informed by biological, environmental, and social factors that affect whole populations. More advanced sections of the book focus on the social, cultural and economic determinants of health to show the ways in which the experience of health isinfluenced by the characteristics of the society in which people live.Through its perspective of considering the causes of health, rather than simply the effects of health status in society, the book provides students with the basis for a career in any of the health sciences where insight into the meaning of health will allow for the development of effective practice and greater sensitivity to the needs of the community.

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