Looking at How Human CHAPTER
26Relations Affect Health
26-1
Health, says the World Health Organization, is a state of complete physical,
mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity. We agree.
Throughout this book, we have pointed to the importance of the human factor in
determining health and well-being. By the ‘human factor’ we mean how persons
help or harm each other. We have seen how poverty lies behind the ills of most
people. And in Chapters 23 and 25, we argued that hunger in the world is not
primarily due to population growth or shortage of land and resources. Rather, it results
from unfair distribution-of land, resources, and decision-making power. We conclude
that:
Health depends less on technical
than on social factors. The healthy
person, family, community, or
nation is one that is relatively
self-reliant-one that can relate to
others in a helpful, friendly way,
as an equal.
The health worker’s primary job is to help people gain greater control over
their health and their lives. But this is easier said than done.
In this chapter, we look at ways of helping groups of people To become more aware
of the social factors that affect their well-being, and to discover their own ability to
change and improve their situation. The methods and activities we describe have
been used effectively with groups of health workers-in-training. They have also been
used by health workers to help community groups develop greater social awareness,
self-confidence, and cooperative action.
First, we discuss a method used in Mexico to help groups observe how a variety
of factors, both physical and human, combine to cause sickness and death. This is
done by first telling or reading a story, then having the group analyze it by playing The
question game, “But why. . . ?”
Next, we explore group dialogue approaches for helping develop social awareness.
We discuss the educational approach of the Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire, and look
at ways that conscientization or ‘awareness raising’ has been adapted to health and
nutrition work in villages and communities.
Finally, we look at strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to
awareness raising. And we give examples of how people’s increased understanding
of their problems and their rights has led to organization and changes that contribute
to better health.