ＳＡＬ ＵＴＯＧＥ ＮＥＳＩ

Ｙｕｍｉｋｏ　Ｋａｎ　ＨＴＭ
Hippocrates mentioned 2500 years ago that the human body has
the natural healing power to heal itself and it is the doctor’s role
to facilitate this healing power. This concept has been the
universal foundation in the medical field throughout human history
Aaron Antonovsky suggests a similar conception in his
idea Salutogenesis.
The term Salutogenesis is derived from salus, which is
Latin for health, and genesis, meaning to give birth.
Salutogenesis literally means 'that which gives birth to
health'. In traditional public health and medical practices
a ‘pathogenic' perspective, in which the focus is on disease
or illness and its prevention or treatment, most often
dominates interventions.
Adoption of a salutogenic perspective highlights the
importance of starting from a consideration of how health
is created and maintained.
The salutogenetic model is not to be seen as
substitute, but as complementation to the
patho-genic orientation of the biomedical model,
as it draws attention to the so far neglected facet
in the pathogenetic model.
Instead of concentrating on singular pathogenic
factors, the saluto-genetic model looks at the
complex conditions fostering a person’s well bein

2nd Conference on Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease July 14th - 17th, Oxford, St Hilda's College, Oxford
Bahrs O, Heim S, Kalitzkus V, Matthiessen P, Meister P, Müller H.
The Biomedical Model and Pathogenesis

Biomedicine regards itself as pure natural science.

Biomedical knowledge is conceptualised as “proven”,
“timeless” and “objective”
(with the exception of new medical findings).
The object under question is regarded as existing outside
and independent of the researcher, who discovers and
characterizes its qualities (Engel 1986: 5).
This is the basis for its claim of ob-jectivity.
The following assumptions belong to the core of the
biomedical model:
 
2nd Conference on Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease July 14th - 17th, Oxford, St Hilda's College, Oxford
Bahrs O, Heim S, Kalitzkus V, Matthiessen P, Meister P, Müller H.
The salutogenetic model is not to be seen
as substitute, but as complementation to
the patho-genic orientation of the biomedica
model, as it draws attention to the so far
neglected facets in the pathogenetic model.
Instead of concentrating on singular
pathogenic factors, the saluto-genetic mode
looks at the complex conditions fostering
a person’s well being.
2nd Conference on Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease July 14th - 17th, Oxford, St Hilda's College, Oxford
Bahrs O, Heim S, Kalitzkus V, Matthiessen P, Meister P, Müller H.
 .
Sense of Coherence (SOC) The Sense of
Coherence is comprised of a
sense of comprehensibility,
sense of manageability,
sense of meaningfulness
in a persons’ life. Antonovsky understands the sense of
coherence as “a global orientation that expresses the exten
to which one has a pervasive, enduring though dynamic
feeling of confi-dence that one’s internal and external
environments are predictable and that there is a high
probability that things will work out as well as can
reasonably be expected.” (Antonovsky 1987).
2nd Conference on Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease July 14th - 17th, Oxford, St Hilda's College, Oxford
Bahrs O, Heim S, Kalitzkus V, Matthiessen P, Meister P, Müller H.
 identify situations and patterns of communication that

foster the self help potential of patients

　 (“good practice”)

identify situations and patterns of communication that

hinder the salutogenic potential of patients

(“hindering structures”)

2nd Conference on Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease July 14th - 17th, Oxford, St Hilda's College, Oxford
Develop exemplary cases into teaching- and training
Bahrs O, Heim S, Kalitzkus V, Matthiessen P, Meister P, Müller H.
Especially for patients with chronic conditions it is important
to activate their salutogenic po-tentials as their whole life is
affected by the illness persistently. In addition, many chronic
conditions can be influenced positively by a patients life style
(such as diet, physical activities and so on).
Chronically ill patients make up a huge amount of a general
practitioners clientele – a clientele he has intimate knowledge of,
but which is taking up a lot of his time thus mak-ing these
constellations especially prone for deeper analysis and effective
improvement.

2nd Conference on Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease July 14th - 17th, Oxford, St Hilda's College, Oxford
Bahrs O, Heim S, Kalitzkus V, Matthiessen P, Meister P, Müller H.
Ｓｔｒｅｎｇｔｈ　
ｉｓ　ｉｎ　ＹＯＵ

Ｓｔｒｅｎｇｔｈ　
Ｇｏｄｄｅｓｓ　Ｔｅｔｈｙｓ
ＳＡＬ ＵＴＯＧＥ ＮＥＳＩ
Ｓ

Death is to reborn
End is to Start