Health issues

What is health?

Health is a state of physical and mental well being.

How health problems interact

Diseases are major causes of ill health. Disease therefore has mental, physical and social impacts and generally has an adverse effect on health. It is important to remember that different health problems may interact with one another, and different health conditions may occur at the same time. Sometimes one health condition may make another condition worse.

For example:

• defects in the immune system mean that an individual is more likely to suffer from infectious diseases

• Viruses living in cells can be triggers for cancers

• Having a cold can trigger allergic reactions such as rashes or asthma

• Severe physical ill health can lead to depression and other mental illness Z