Health is quality of process

doi:10.1136/bmj.b83

Published 9 January 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b83
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b83

Letters

How should health be defined?

Health is quality of process

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The works arising from the Pioneer Health Centre in Peckhamstrongly illuminate how health should be defined.¹ ² Healthis visible in the process of life, not in status at any time.It is the quality of the movement from this moment to the nextthat counts, and it is independent of present circumstance.Most people of fairly lowly but self reliant means are healthierthan those who are very wealthy and cannot boil an egg, or fearto walk the streets without a bodyguard.

Peckham defined health as the faculty for mutual synthesis withone’s environment. I would suggest a simpler version—healthis the ability to participate in creation (or constructive activity).

By this definition, most of us are healthy most of the time.Doctors study how empty the glass may be: health practice wouldwish to know how full. Having made a modest career of healthpractice these past . . . [Full text of this article]

Peter Mansfield, retired medical practitioner¹

¹ Newark NG24 1ET

peter.mansfield47@ntlworld.com