REVIEW ARTICLE

 

Health, well-being and wellness: An anthropological eco-systemic approach

 

 

Tiaan G.J.C. Kirsten; Hannes J.L. van der Walt; Charles T. Viljoen

School of Education, North-West University, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

More than two decades ago, Fritjof Capra commended - and indeed advocated - a paradigm shift in health science and care. In his book The Turning Point (1982) he talks of a major shift from the preoccupation with micro-organisms to a careful study of the 'host organism and its environment', of 'significant attempts to develop a unified approach to the mind/body system' in Western medicine, of 'a new holistic paradigm' (as opposed to 'the old biomedical paradigm') regarding the problem of health and healing, of 'a holistic and humanistic approach to primary care', and of 'a holistic therapy' as opposed to 'the traditional biochemical practice of associating a physical disease with a specific physical cause'. Our concern in this article is with the paradigm shift advocated by Capra in this book and the progress that has since been made.

Keywords: wellness; holistic; unitas complex; biomedical model; Capra

---

OPSOMMING

Meer as twee dekades gelede het Fritjof Capra 'n pleidooi gelewer vir 'n paradigmaskuif vanaf die biomediese model na 'n meer holistiese, ekosistemiese model van gesondheid en genesing. Die vraag wat in hierdie artikel aan die orde kom is of praktisyns in die veld van die gesondheidswetenskappe sedertdien daarin geslaag het om die oorgang na die aanbevole paradigma te maak. 'n Oorsig van die literatuur sedert 1982 toon dat die skuif nog nie regtig gemaak is nie. 'n Ander literatuuroorsig toon voorts dat die terme 'gesondheid', 'well-being' en 'wellness' as uitruilbaar beskou word en dat hulle betekenisse meermale afhang van die gebruikskonteks. Op grond van hulle bespreking van die antropologiese ekosistemiese benadering tot gesondheid en genesing stel die outeurs voor dat die terme 'gesondheid' en 'wellness' as korrelatiewe gebruik word, en dat die term 'well-being' gebruik word vir al die domeine van menslike lewe en bestaan wat kan bydra tot gesondheid, oftewel 'wellness'.

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

Adams, T.B. & Bezner, J.R., 2000, 'Conceptualization and measurement of the spiritual and psychological dimensions of wellness in a college population', Journal of American College Health 48(4), 165.         [ Links ]

Alexander, H., 2006, 'A view from somewhere: Explaining the paradigms of educational research', Journal of Philosophy of Education 40(2), 205-221.         [ Links ]

Anderson, R.A., 1987, Wellness medicine: A guide and handbook to collaborative health care, Keats Publishing, New Canaan.         [ Links ]

Armesto, F.F., 2004, Ideas that changed the world, Dorling Kindersley, London.         [ Links ]

Bambra, C., Fox, D. & Scott-Samuel, A., 2005, 'Towards a politic of health', Health Promotion International 20(2), 187-193.         [ Links ]

Baron, R.A., Byrne, D. & Branscombe N.R., 2006, Social psychology, Pearson, Boston.         [ Links ]

Boddy, J., 1989, 'The benefits of physiological psychology', British Journal of Psychology 80, 479-489.         [ Links ]

Procter, P. (ed.), 2002, Cambridge international dictionary of English, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.         [ Links ]

Campbell, M., Fitzpatrick, R., Haines, A., Kinmonth, A.L., Sandercock, P., Spiegelhalter, D. & Tyrer, P., 2000, 'Framework for design and evaluation of complex interventions to improve health', British Medical Journal 321, 694-696.         [ Links ]

Capra, F., 1982, The Turning Point, Fontana/Flamingo, London.         [ Links ]

Caras, C., 2003, 'Religiosity/spirituality, and subjective wellbeing', BA (Hons) dissertation, Deakin University.         [ Links ]

Colman, A.M., 2003, A dictionary of psychology, Oxford University Press, Oxford.         [ Links ]

Dewsbury, D.A., 1991, 'Psychobiology', American Psychologist 46(3), 198-205.         [ Links ]

Edelman, C.L. & Mandle, C.L., (eds.), 1994, Health promotion throughout the lifespan, Mosby, St Louis.         [ Links ]

Elsenrath, D., Hettler, B. & Leafgren, F., 1988, Lifestyle assessment questionnaire, 15th edn., Steven Point University, Wisconsin.         [ Links ]

Ewart, C.K., 1991, 'Social action theory for a public health psychology', American Psychologist 46(9), 931-946.         [ Links ]

Fahlberg, L.L. & Fahlberg, L.A., 1997, 'Wellness re-examined: A cross-cultural perspective', American Journal of Health Studies 13(1), 8, 9, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Garrett, M.T., 1999, 'Soaring on the wings of an eagle: Wellness of native American high school students', Professional School Counselling 3(1), 57, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www.sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Gordon, J.S., 1990, 'Holistic medicine and mental health practise: Toward a new synthesis', American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 60(3), 357-369.         [ Links ]

Green, J. & Shellenberger, R., 1991, The dynamics of health and wellness: A biopsychosocial approach, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Chicago.         [ Links ]

Greenburg, J.S. & Dintiman, G.B., 1997, Wellness. Creating a life of health and fitness, Allyn and Bacon, Boston.         [ Links ]

Grzywacz, J.G., 1999, 'Growing up healthy: The ecology of child well-being', Family Relations 48(4), 433, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Hermon, D.A. & Hazler, R.J., 1999, 'Adherence to a wellness model and perceptions of psychological well-being', Journal of Counselling and Development 77(3), 339, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Hofford, C.W. & Spelman, K.A., 1996, 'The community action plan: Incorporating health promotion and wellness into alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention efforts on the college campus', Journal of Wellness Perspectives 12(2), 70, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Hull, D.L., 2005, 'Mechanistic explanation', in R. Audi (ed.), The Cambridge dictionary of philosophy, 2nd edn., pp. 550-551, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.         [ Links ]

Jensen, L.A. & Allen, M.N., 1994, 'A synthesis of qualitative research on wellness - illness', Qualitative Health Research 4(4), 349, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Jordaan, W. & Jordaan, J., 1990, Mens in konteks, 2de uitgawe, Lexikon, Isando.         [ Links ]

Jordaan, W. & Jordaan, J., 1998, People in context, 3rd edn., Heinemann, Johannesburg.         [ Links ]

Kickbusch, I. & Payne, L., 2003, '21st century health promotion: The public health revolution meets the wellness revolution', Health Promotion International 18, 275-278.         [ Links ]

Kirsten, G.J.C., 1994, 'Die bevordering van geestesgesondheid as opvoedkundige sielkundige opgawe', MEd dissertation, Universiteit van Pretoria.         [ Links ]

Kirsten, G.J.C., 2001, 'The use of meditation as a strategy for stress management and the promotion of wellness in teachers: An educational psychological study', PhD thesis, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.         [ Links ]

Kirsten, G.J.C., 2004, 'Out of Africa: Exploratory thoughts in weaving the beginnings of a wellness counselling and therapy model', poster presented at the 2nd European Conference on Positive Psychology, Verbania Pallanza, 5-8 July.         [ Links ]

Kirsten, G.J.C. & Viljoen, C.T., 2001, 'Health promoting schools: The educational link to sustainable social development', in Sustainable development: Critical issues, pp. 68-78, Network Publishers, Pretoria.         [ Links ]

Kirsten, G.J.C. & Viljoen, C.T., 2003, 'The health of teachers: Exploratory thoughts in moving from toxic schools to health promoting schools - the case of managers with narcissistic personality disorder', paper presented at the Education Society of South Africa Conference, University of Stellenbosch, 14-16 January.         [ Links ]

Kriel, J.R., 1998, Viagra and the mind-body problem. Philosophical implications of a pharmaceutical innovation, IRS (Series F1: 372), Potchefstroom.         [ Links ]

Lewis, C.A., Maltby, J. & Day, L., 2005, 'Religious orientation, religious coping and happiness among UK adults', Elsevier Personality and Individual Differences 38, 1193-1202.         [ Links ]

Light, K.M., 1995, 'Wellness and the liberal arts: A new dimension in the care curriculum', Wellness Perspectives 11(3), 28, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

MacClanahan, K.K., Huff, M.B. & Omar, H.A., 2006, 'Holistic health: Does it really include mental health?', TSW Holistic Health & Medicine 3, 128-135.         [ Links ]

Mautner, T., 2000, The Penguin dictionary of philosophy, Penguin Books, London.         [ Links ]

McPherson, W., 2001, 'Spirituality and well-being', BA (Hons) dissertation, Deakin University.         [ Links ]

Meyer, W., Moore, C. & Viljoen, H., 2002, Personology: From individual to ecosystem, Heinemann, Johannesburg.         [ Links ]

Myers, J.E., Sweeney, T.J. & Witmer, J.M., 2000, 'The wheel of wellness counselling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning', Journal of Counselling and Development 78, 251-266.         [ Links ]

Olivier, M.A.J., De Jager, M.J., Grootboom, P. & Tokota, K.B., 2005, 'Work wellness: A prerequisite for effective education in higher education institutes', South African Journal of Higher Education 19(5), 912-930.         [ Links ]

Parmer, T. & Rogers, T., 1997, 'Religion and health: Holistic wellness from the perspective of two African American church denominations', Counselling and Values 42(1), 55, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Pelletier, K.R., 1988, 'Influence of transcendental meditation on perceptual style: Increased field independence', in D.W. Orme-Johnson & J.T. Farrow (eds.), Scientific research on the Transcendental Meditation Program: Collected papers, vol. 1, pp. 337-345, Maharishi European Research University Press, New York.         [ Links ]

Plas, J.M., 1986, Systems psychology in the schools, Pergamon, New York.         [ Links ]

Prilleltensky, I. & Nelson, G., 2002, Doing psychology critically. Making a difference in diverse settings, Palgrave Macmillan, New York.         [ Links ]

Rohman, C., 2002, The dictionary of important ideas and thinkers, Arrow Books, London.         [ Links ]

Ryff, C.D. & Signer, B., 1998, 'The contours of positive human health', Psychological Inquiry 9(1), 1-28.         [ Links ]

Schafer, W., 1996, Stress management for wellness, Harcourt Brace, Florida.         [ Links ]

Schriven, A. & Orme, J., 1996, Health promotion. Professional perspectives, Macmillan Press, London.         [ Links ]

Seeman, J., 1989, 'Toward a model of positive health', American Psychologist 44(8), 1099-1109.         [ Links ]

Seligman, M.E.P. & Csikszentmihalyi, M., 2000, 'Positive psychology: An introduction', American Psychologist 55(1), 5-14.         [ Links ]

Sinclair, J.M., (ed.), 1999, Collins concise dictionary, Collins, Glasgow.         [ Links ]

South African Department of Health, 2000, National guidelines for the development of health promoting schools/sites in South Africa, Government Printers, Pretoria.         [ Links ]

The New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1998, Oxford University Press, Oxford.         [ Links ]

Uys, J., 1992, Psychological counselling in the South African context, Maskew Miller Longman, Cape Town.         [ Links ]

Valenkamp, M. & Van der Walt, J.L., 2006, 'The spiritual dimension of 'quality of life', with special reference to education', paper presented at the International Conference of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS), Rhodes University, Grahamstown, July 17-20.         [ Links ]

Van Eeden, C., 1996, 'Psigologiese welstand en kohesiesin', PhD thesis, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.         [ Links ]

Van Vlaenderen, H. & Neves, D., 2004, 'Activity theory as a framework for psychological research and practice in developing societies', in K. Ratele, N. Duncan, D. Hook, P. Kiguwa & A. Collins (eds.), Self, community and psychology, 9-1 & 9-20, University of Cape Town Press, Lansdowne.         [ Links ]

Veenhoven, R., 2000, 'The four qualities of life: Ordering concepts and measures of the good life', Journal of Happiness Studies 1, 1-39.         [ Links ]

Veenhoven, R., 2002, 'Het grootste geluk voor het grootste aantal. Geluk als richtsnoer voor beleid. (The greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Happiness as a policy guideline.)', Sociale Wetenschappen 4, 1-43.         [ Links ]

Veenhoven, R., 2008, 'Geluk is eenvoudig te meten. (Happiness is easy to measure.)', Rotterdam e.o. Metro, 18 January, p. 14-19).         [ Links ]

Vollhardt, L.T., 1991, 'Psychoneuroimmunology: A literature review', American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 61(1), 35-46.         [ Links ]

Walsh, P., 2005, 'Well-being', in T. Honderich (ed.), The Oxford companion to philosophy, pp. 955-956, Oxford University Press, Oxford.         [ Links ]

Wass, A., 2000, Promoting health - the primary health care approach, 2nd edn., Harcourt Australia, Marrickville.         [ Links ]

Watt, D., Verma, S. & Flynn, L., 1998, 'Wellness programs: A review of the evidence', Canadian Medical Association Journal 158(2), 224, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Wehmeier, S. (ed.), 2002, Oxford advanced learner's dictionary, Oxford University Press, Oxford.         [ Links ]

Westgate, C.E., 1996, 'Spiritual wellness and depression', Journal of Counselling and Development 75(1), 26, viewed 1 March 2001, from http://www-sa.ebsco.com.         [ Links ]

Wissing, M.P., 2000, 'Wellness: Construct clarification and a framework for future research and practice', paper presented at the First South African National Wellness Conference, Port Elizabeth, May 2-5.         [ Links ]

WHO (World Health Organization), 1986, Young people's health - a challenge for society, Technical Report Series 731.         [ Links ]

WHO (World Health Organization), 1995, Promoting health through schools. Report of the WHO expert committee on comprehensive education and promotion, WHO, Geneva.         [ Links ]

WHO (World Health Organization), 1999, Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, viewed 17 December 1999, from http://www.who.dk/policy/ottawa.htm.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Tiaan Kirsten
Internal Box 34
North-West University
Private Bag X 6001
Potchefstroom, 2521
South Africa
E-mail: tiaan.kirsten@nwu.ac.za

Received: 07 May 2008
Accepted: 21 Oct. 2008
Published: 24 Apr. 2009