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

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.