Which statement best defines health?

• A. The state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
• B. A measure of the efficiency of the health care system.
• C. A condition characterized solely by the absence of symptoms.
• D. The level of access to medical services in a population.

Answer: (A)

Health is a multidimensional state that goes beyond simply not being sick. The best answer reflects the longstanding definition that health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This broad view captures how people feel, function, and participate in daily life, and it recognizes that well-being is shaped by social and environmental factors such as housing, education, income, and community supports. The other statements point to aspects that influence health or are components of the health system but do not define health itself: measuring how efficiently a health care system operates describes system performance, not a person’s health status; being free of symptoms only captures symptom presence and doesn’t account for functioning or overall well-being; and access to medical services is a resource that affects health, but it does not define health.