Towards an operational understanding of wellness

Journal article


Rachele, Jerome, Washington, Tracy, Cockshaw, Wendell and Brymer, Eric. (2013). Towards an operational understanding of wellness. Journal of the Spirituality Leadership and Management Network Limited. 7(1), pp. 3 - 12. https://doi.org/10.15183/slm2013.07.1112
AuthorsRachele, Jerome, Washington, Tracy, Cockshaw, Wendell and Brymer, Eric
Abstract

Despite the increased focus on wellness and wellness programs there is still no consensus as to what wellness is. This is in part because programs do not define wellness and in part because studies and programs employ vastly different outcome measures that arguably reflect other constructs such as health, well-being, and quality of life. In this paper, we suggest an operational understanding of wellness and show how wellness differs from health, quality of life and wellbeing. Academic literature on the subject of health, wellness, well-being and quality of life reveals confusion, as theorists and researchers frequently describe each of these constructs in a very similar manner. We argue that elements such as the context and target population in which the term wellness is used are critical for our understanding of the construct. While it is inevitable that cross-over exists between similar constructs, wellness does have distinctly identifiable features. These include: being both holistic and multidimensional, being focused on lifestyle behaviours, being about actions or processes, recognising the inter-relatedness between person and environment, and being unique by way of goal and context.

Year2013
JournalJournal of the Spirituality Leadership and Management Network Limited
Journal citation7 (1), pp. 3 - 12
PublisherSpirituality, Leadership and Management Network
ISSN1447-3771
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.15183/slm2013.07.1112
Open accessOpen access
Page range3 - 12
Research GroupMary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Publisher's version
Place of publicationAustralia
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https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8v7v1/towards-an-operational-understanding-of-wellness

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