SALUTOGENESIS

We are coming to understand health not as the absence of disease, but rather as the process by which individuals maintain
their sense of coherence and ability to function in the face of changes in themselves and their relationships with their environment. – Aaron Antonovsky

Salutogenesis is a term that describes an approach focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, rather than on factors that cause disease. The term Salutogenesis comes from the Latin Salus = Health and the Greek genesis = origin. It was coined in 1979 by Aaron Antonovsky, a professor of medical sociology.

The ability to comprehend the whole stressful situation and the capacity to use the resources available is known as the sense of coherence.

This sense of Coherence reflects a person’s view of life and capacity to respond to stressful situations. It is a global
orientation to view life as comprehensible, structured, manageable, and meaningful.

The thoughtful concept of salutogenesis largely focuses on the healing process rather than on the pathogenesis. It is holistic and qualitatively oriented, having a dynamic ideal.

“Do not get so taken up by the cancerous condition that you forget
the most essential part of your treatment, the general condition”
– Dr Eli Jones (1920’s)