No. 552, October 9, 2006

The review

A Great Classic

read by Jonas Himmelstrand

Unraveling the Mystery of Health

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Unraveling the Mystery of Health is a nearly 20 year old classic by American-Israeli medical sociologist Aaron Antonovsky. It has recently been reissued in Swedish showing its importance today.

Antonovsky created the concept of salutogenesis (meaning "the origin of health") and showed that what he called a "sense of coherence" was what most furthered salutogenesis – good health.

What sparked Antonovsky’s interest was a survey in the seventies on the psychological health of middle aged women. One of many questions was about concentration camps. The survey showed that the psychological health was good among 51% of the women who had not been to a concentration camp and good among 29% of the women who had been to a concentration camp. What startled Antonovsky was how nearly one third of the women who had survived the horrors of a concentration camp could have a good psychological health and also a good physical health. Why did some people handle this terrifying stress better than others?

Antonovsky found that these women had what he called a "sense of coherence" (SOC). This means that they understood their life, that they felt influence over their life – at least over their own thoughts – and experienced a strong sense of meaning in their life. A strong feeling of meaning in their life was the most important factor.

Unraveling the Mystery of Health has lots to offer both to those interested in their own health and to those who plan for and affect the health of others in work life and society.

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Unraveling the Mystery of Health, by Aaron Antonovsky.
Jossey-Bass Inc 1987. ISBN 1555420281. 238 pages.

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© 2006 Strategies to Learn & Grow Newsletter • Printable version