An Introduction to Community and Primary Health Care

In the ‘classic’ sense, health professionals view the health of individuals from a three-part biopsychosocial model of health. In this case, the ‘psych’ part relates directly to ‘mental health’. However, it is important to resist the temptation to separate this part from the bio and social aspects of the well-established model. Instead, it is best to view all parts as equally important and interrelated to each other. For instance, it is difficult to maintain good mental health and well-being if we lack either good social or ‘bio’ (physical) health. Traditionally, however, health professionals have tended to focus on the physical health component of the biopsychosocial model, especially those working in acute hospital/clinic environments. From a primary health care perspective, the ‘social’ (community-focused) aspect is supposed to be the most dominant part of the model. This chapter examines the context of mental health promotion, distinguishes between the concepts of mental health and mental health wellness, and provides understanding of how both lifespan and setting along their continuum influnce mental health promotion in the primary care setting.