According to the dictionary health is the state of being free from illness or injury. (Word power,2001). The definition of health is not a straightforward definition; there are different views on what constitute health. To better understand health we have to look at the big picture and consider factors like, culture, age, ethnicity and lifestyle.

For instance, to understand the health differences between New Zealand and Latin American countries we have to see not only statistics but explanation of these differences. One of these explanations could be colonization, poverty, geographical (“tropical diseases”) or behavioral factors. But the common factor between New Zealand and countries like Latin America is that good health is not evenly shared in those countries.

Being healthy is a status which is not enjoyed by all alike. Even a superficial investigation shows that there are profound inequalities across the worlds, in death rates (i.e.patterns of mortality) and prevalence of disease (i.e. morbidity). ( Spoonley, Ryan, & Mc Lennan, 2000).In addition to major inequalities

The lifestyle perspective explains ill-health in terms of the actions of individuals, and it encourages interventions based on individual behavior change as a way of preventing disease. What this approach fails to recognize is the way in which individuals behavior is deeply rooted in sets of social relations that are for the most outside the control of the individual( Spoonley, Ryan & Mc Lennan,2000). For example, age. The immune system is among the first systems to wane with age, undergoing a profound loss of competence and strength to respond to new antigenic stimuli over time. ( Lappe, 1994). The environment is another health risk affecting New Zealand Society. In Christchurch the long standing problem of poor air quality has now been documented to continue a significant health risk(Canterbury regional Council,1997). ), However there is a debate among health agencies and professionals about risk which air pollution pose both to the general population and to sensitive groups such as asthmatic.(Canterbury Regional Council, 1994). In addition to the risk of the quality of air and the effect of people, we have to consider other factors being influenced by the air quality in New Zealand. Smoke-related visibility reductions can produce people’s enjoyment of outdoor activities such as cycling, walking, and jogging and their home environment.( Canterbury Regional Council, 1994).Furthermore we have to consider the social environment, like the family and work environment as factors influencing our physical and mental health. People with strong family, cultural and community ties have better health than people who are socially isolated.(National Health Committee, 1998).Single parents families, the unemployed, people with mental illness, people with disabilities, people living alone and older people are particularly vulnerable to social isolation. (National Health Committee,1998).In New Zealand poor housing conditions, including at a neighborhood level, contribute to social exclusion.(National Health Committee,1998).

In conclusion to understand health we have to see at the bigger picture and identified its determinants. Across the world there are profound inequalities in health. Good health is not enjoyed by all alike in New Zealand.

A society’s understanding of the determinants of health has an important influence on the strategies it uses to maintain and improve the health of its population.(National Health Committee, 1998).One of the most important determinants of health in New Zealand is the soci

Some topics in this essay:
Health Committee1998, Health Committee, Committee1998 Social, Mc Lennan, Marmot Wilkinson, Committee1998 Community, Health Committee1998All, , Regional Council, Kennedy Wilkinson1999, national health, health committee1998, poor health, health committee, national health committee1998, socioeconomic status, physical mental, health national health, health national, health zealanders, consider factors, physical mental health, affecting health, social economic conditions, addition factors lifestyle,