WHO defines health as “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Illness is commonly defined as absence of good health in a person.
Ill-health of a person can have many causes and consequences. Illness is not always physical but may be mental, social or psychological. A person, who is ill, lacks the experience of soundness in his body, mind as well as spirit. Once illness sets in a person, he is deprived of the happiness and the joys in the outside world that he seeks otherwise in state of wellness.
Senior and Viveash (1998) have defined six stages of illness. Social conditions like poverty, inadequate nutrition, inappropriate housing, rising pollution and unhygienic and unsafe play areas for children fall into the first stage of illness.
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Thus, people with lower incomes and lower standard of living are more likely to fall ill owing to the above factors than those belonging to a relatively higher class in society. Inequality at socio-economic levels is a cause of illness in the poor people. Poor people in general have poorer health than the richer people.
Illness is not merely due to a disease, but it defines the unbalanced state of health which can have many symptoms. Infants born to poorer homes are more likely to have higher mortality rates owing to the unhealthy surroundings and lack of nutrition that the mother and child get. Another factor that contributes to the ill health is the lack of proper medical facilities because of scarcity of money among the poor.
Evidence were also proved by the Black report (1980) to show that higher social-class have more likelihood of better health and hence reduced chances of illness. However it is not appropriate to base illness solely on social standard of the family or a person.
Physical or mental illness may set in a person belonging to rich or financially sound family as well. Sometimes, the eating habits and the lack of proper hygiene, rest and lack of nutritious diet can lead to poor health in a person. Illness can also be mental which can arise due to some kind of tension or depression that a person becomes a victim to.
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Illness can also be inborn, meaning that a child may be born with some infection or certain weakness or deformity or have lower immunity. Thus, a person with weak immune system is also more susceptible to falling ill.
Sometimes, a person develops a mental state where a person loses his ability to perceive the people and things around him with right attitude. In such cases, a person feels low and isolates himself from the social life.
This is also a symptom of illness and is referred to as psychological illness. Even though the person’s body continues to function normally, his mind and spirit are not in perfect state and it is what makes him counted as ill.
Illness in any form is not desirable and every person should get the right to live a healthy and happy life, free from illness of any kind. A positive attitude, a healthy lifestyle, concern for hygiene and safety and right diet can go a long way in keeping illness away.