Health, Well-Being, and Quality of Life

Health (WHO, 2024)

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Occupation and Health

Health is a resource people create in their everyday lives through physical capacities, personal and social resources. Some occupations can be harmful (e.g., smoking, alcohol abuse).

Environmental & Societal Impact on Occupation

Experience of occupations is affected by external conditions, such as the impact of COVID lockdowns on mental health and engagement in meaningful activities.

Measuring Health

Includes mortality/morbidity rates, disability measures, life expectancy, years of healthy life, quality-adjusted life years, self-assessment of health, and health risk appraisal.

Considerations on Health

Questions to reflect on: How does health impact daily life? What do healthy people experience better than unhealthy people? How does culture influence health definitions?

Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)

A tool for assessing health-related quality of life. Available at: RAND SF-36

Quality of Life (WHO, 2024)

An individual’s perception of their position in life in context of culture, value systems, goals, expectations, standards, and concerns.

Well-Being (WHO, 2006, p. 211)

A general term encompassing physical, mental, and social aspects that contribute to a 'good life.'

Participation in Occupation

Defined by WHO (2001) as "involvement in a life situation."

Engagement in Occupation (OTPF-4)

Performance of occupations based on choice, motivation, and meaning within a supportive context.

Person-First Language

Avoids emphasizing disabilities; instead, focuses on individuals first. Don’t portray sucessful people as superhuman. Show them as active particpants of society

Person-First Language Examples

• Not "autistic," but "person with autism."