SALUTOGENESIS AS EMPOWERMENT. HEALTH PROMOTION AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDICAL HUMANITI

Abstract

Within recent years, health promotion has increasingly
become an important topic in the public debate. More
and more people follow a health conscious lifestyle,
including a balanced diet, sports activities, and selfmeasurement through smart wearable sensors. There is
a growing public demand for services and information
regarding health promotion. However, health, its creation
and maintenance which can be defined as salutogenesis
play only a minor role in modern medicine. In our
paper, we analyze the relation between medicine and
health promotion form a historical as well as ethical
perspective. We show that the pathocentric paradigm
is a relatively recent development whereas salutogenesis
has been a core task of medicine for most of its history.
In a further step, we show that salutogenesis has an
ethical dimension as well insofar as it may empower
individuals to take health matters in their own hands.
Finally, we suggest concrete measures for clinical practice
in order to achieve an empowering health promotion.