Healthcare Abbreviations

What is Health?

Health means the state of normal functioning of the human organism. To have health is to live with good physical and mental disposition.

In addition to the good disposition of the body and mind, the WHO (World Health Organization) includes in the definition of health, the social well-being among individuals.

An individual’s health can be determined by human biology itself, by the physical, social and economic environment to which he is exposed and by his lifestyle, that is, by eating habits and other behaviors that can be beneficial or harmful.

Good health is associated with increased quality of life. It is known that a balanced diet, the regular practice of physical exercises and emotional well-being are determining factors for a balanced state of health.

On the other hand, people who are exposed to precarious conditions of survival, who do not have basic sanitation (water, cleaning, sewage, etc.), adequate medical care, quality food and water, etc., have their health seriously affected.

Health sciences form professionals with knowledge in disease prevention, care practice and promotion of the population’s well-being.

The professions in the health area are: Biomedicine, Physical Education, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Medicine, Nutrition, Dentistry, Psychology, Social Work, Veterinary, among others.

Health insurance

Health insurance is a form of protection for an individual in case he needs medical care. Access to medical and hospital services is a guarantee included in the Federal Constitution of Brazil. However, the State cannot respond to all people who need medical care. For this reason, some private companies or other organizations work in this area.

Many workers in private companies are entitled to private health plans, which guarantee them access to a variety of health care.

Public health

Public health is a concept that refers to the physical and mental integrity of the constituent elements of a community. Public health encompasses measures and policies related to hygiene, for the maintenance of health, and measures for the prevention of diseases are also promoted.

List of Acronyms Related to Healthcare