Blog post
Similarly, the WCC defines health “as a dynamic state of wellbeing of the individual and society. It is a state of physical, mental, spiritual, economic, political, and social wellbeing. And it is a state of humans being in harmony with each other, with the material world, and with God.”
Although there are differences present between the two definitions, we can see that health is influenced by a variety of factors. This challenged my preconceived idea that health only refers to being free from diseases. During the five days I spent at WCC, I was able to gain knowledge of the different factors that affect health.
I obtained an insight into health-promoting churches, specifically their origin and their objective. I connected that the health-promoting church is related to health because it provides education about the different types of diseases, their symptoms, and prevention. Additionally, I discovered that socioeconomic factors affect health. I read "Disparities in Health Care.”
Alongside the health-promoting churches, I learned about the Just Community for Women and Men programme. After learning about this programme, I found that women are more vulnerable to health issues regarding sexual violence due to gender inequality. This is more prevalent in the global south, likely due to socioeconomic factors, and the problems are often severely neglected. Furthermore, I became aware that girls from those regions are negatively affected due to child marriages and lack of education.
During the program, I acquired an in-depth understanding of HIV, including its symptoms, how it is transmitted, prevention, and treatment. To my surprise, I learnt that many people still hold a stigma against HIV, probably due to the role of sexual relationships in the transmission of the condition. This is a serious problem because it makes people unable to seek support. In addition, I explored mental health, after researching the different types of disorders, their determinants, and how developing a mental disorder can be prevented. I found that, sadly, in many regions, people do not have access to mental health professionals. This reinforced that socioeconomic factors contribute to health issues and their treatment.
Previously, I believed there was little correlation between human rights and health. However, I realised that the violation of human rights has the potential to harm a person’s physical and mental health. Furthermore, the program’s focus on women’s rights allowed me to obtain a deeper awareness of gender-based violence, and how that affects the health of women. I came to know about a medical condition called obstetric fistula. I learnt its causes, how it impacts women, and its prevention. Similar to HIV, some victims of obstetric fistula are frequently excluded from society due to the nature of the condition, which is extremely concerning.
Lastly, I looked into the connection between the environment and health. I learnt about how the lack of clean water is being perpetuated due to climate change, and how socioeconomic factors affect the distribution of water. This has the potential to give people cholera, diarrhoea, and cancer. This has made me realise the interconnection between human rights, environment, and health.
This knowledge made me wonder about the measures that we can take to ensure that more people live in a healthy state. First, it is important to take steps to prevent climate change. Examples of actions that we can take to help the environment include not using bottled water, making use of renewable energy, eating less meat, reducing food waste, and using public transport. Second, raising awareness about health issues is necessary to reduce the stigma that some people with those problems face. Third, creating safe spaces where people can discuss their health issues in a nonjudgemental environment may help get treatment faster. Fourth, identifying the root causes of these issues will help us prevent them in the future. Last, sharing resources with people in need can reduce their stress, which benefits their mental health. Health is affected by many different factors, and I believe we can unite together to create an environment that enhances it.
