Glossary

Health	is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (WHO). Health falls on a continuum between illness and wellness.
Illness	is characterised by sickness, disease and injury.
Wellness	is characterised by responsibility, purposefulness and actions to maintain high levels of health and well-being.
Holistic health	is a measure of health about a WHOLE person. It is an approach to life, rather than just focusing on a specific aspect.
Wellbeing	All 5 dimensions of health and wellbeing are as good as they can be. Optimal wellbeing = the best a person can realistically attain.
Determinants of Health	Factors that raise or lower the level of health in a population.
Burden of disease	A description of how much death and disease is in a community. It is measured by how many years people live with a disease, injury or illness and how many years they prematurely die. ‘How much burden a disease can cause.’
Natural Environment	Includes all organisms, elements and landscapes found on earth. Such as air, water, climate, vegetation, animals, micro-organisms, soil and rocks
Built Environment	Aspects of our surroundings that were created or modified by people. Such as buildings, roads, communication networks, homes, school and workplaces, recreation areas, transport systems and vehicles.
Chronic Illness/Disease	Long lasting conditions with persistent effects. E.g., back pain, eating disorders, poor mental health, obesity, cancer, etc.
Mortality	Death rate. Refers to the number of deaths in a population.
Morbidity	The amount of disease within a population. How many people are affected.
Beliefs	A person’s sense of right and wrong.
Attitudes	Our opinions or feelings about objects, people or situations.
Value	General principles by which we live our life.
Media	Methods of communication to send a message, deliver info or data. E.g., tv, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, internet, etc.
Advertising	The act or practice of calling public attention to something, particularly by paid announcements in the media. E.g., drawing attention to a product, service or need through ads in newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, or billboards.
Marketing	Process or technique of promoting, selling and distributing a product or service. Including advertising, branding, packaging, storage, distribution and point of sale.
Norms	An agreed upon set of rules or expectations to guide people’s behaviours. Usually, unwritten views on how one should behave. Change according to the environment or situation, or may change/be modified over time.
Social Norms	What is ‘socially normal’ or unwritten rules by which a social group behaves. Refers to that a lot of people’s behaviours influenced by their perception of how other members of their social group behave.
Cultural Norms	What is ‘culturally normal’ or behaviour patterns of groups due to their cultural upbringing. Relate to geographical location, country of origin, ethnic affiliation, religious practices.