Health is defined by the WHO as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease. It has three dimensions: physical health involving proper bodily function; mental health as a balance with the environment; and social health as happy relationships and economic stability. Disease is defined as a condition that impairs health or normal bodily function. Symptoms are changes felt by patients, while signs are changes observable by doctors, and together they aid in disease diagnosis.

1.  Health and Disease:
1. The constitution of World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 gave definition of
health. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not
merely an absence of disease or infirmity.”
2. Health has three dimensions.
1. Physical health: It involves proper functions of all organs and systems of body.
2. Mental health: It involves perfect balance between individuals and their
surrounding environment.
3. Social health: It involves happily life, happy family, good house, good job and
good friends and neighbors.
3. However health is multi dimensional may be spiritual (4th
), emotional (5th
),
vocational (6th
) and political (7th
).
4. Bad health is associated with presence of disease and infirmity.
5. Good health is associated with absence of disease and infirmity.
6. Positive health: A person who enjoys heath at these three planes i.e. physical,
mental and social is said to be in a state of positive health.
7. WHO and Red Cross are well known international organization involved to
maintain health status of people.
8. Red Cross is the oldest organization established in 1864 works for war, famine,
flood etc.
9. World Health Organization or WHO of United Nations established in 1945 at
Geneva to take health problems at global level.
10. Basic conditions for good health:
1. Balanced diet
2. Personal hygiene
3. Clean surrounding

2. 4. Clean food ad water
5. Clean air
6. Exercise and relaxation
7. No addiction
8. Good economic condition
∙ Disease (Dis = against, easy=comfort):
The term disease means dis + ease, without easy, body is not at comfort, and body
is not at ease or away from normal feeling of ease.
∙ Various definitions of disease:
1. “Any condition which impairs the health or interferes with the normal function of
body due to one many reasons is called disease.”
2. “A disease is an abnormal condition of the body which does not let the body
functions properly.”
3. According to Oxford English dictionary “Disease is a condition of the body or
some part or organ of the body in which is functions are disturbed.”
4. According to Webster’s dictionary “Disease as a condition in which bodily health
is seriously attacked or impaired and alternation of the human body interrupting the
performance of vital function.”
5. “Any variation in the normal structure and function of the body parts or organs is
called disease.”

3. ∙ Symptoms and signs:
1. The presence of disease is marked by the clinical complaints, symptoms and signs.
2. Symptoms: A symptom is a change in normal functioning of the body which
is felt by patient but which cannot be observed by doctor.
3. Sign: A sign of a disease is a change in the bodies function or structure that can
be observed by doctor.
4. Both symptoms and signs of patient help in the diagnosis of a disease.