Health is a complex topic, and finding great ideas for articles about it takes time. But if you take the time to find the right story, your audience will reward you by sharing your article with friends and family. Whether your goal is to write a brief news piece, an in-depth feature, or a profile of a researcher studying a new treatment, every article about health starts with a great idea.
Traditional definitions of health range from a narrow biomedical definition that views disease as the absence of negative biologic circumstances (altered DNA, abnormal physiologic states, abnormal anatomy, illness, disability, and death) to a broader view of human well-being in which good health is characterized by “a dynamic balance of personal physical, mental, social, and existential well-being in adapting to changing conditions of life.” The latter approach provides more flexibility for research, policy, and health care delivery, but it may also risk assigning full responsibility for the economic and social welfare of members of society to medical and health care systems.
For example, a competitive swimmer with Down syndrome and a high school teacher with bipolar disorder experience good health because they find meaning in their lives, achieve emotional stability, and manage their disorders. However, their health can be affected by external factors such as public swimming pools closing due to COVID-19 or changes in medication dictated by their insurance coverage. This broader perspective of health, inspired by Canguilhem’s concept of normality, can encourage new questions about the definition of health and foster more comprehensive strategies for improving it.
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