Sense of Coherence and Social Structure

• In the international literature on the importance of social and psychosocial factors for health, a number of concepts focused on people’s relation to their environment are put forward, albeit in different forms. A common theme is whether people’s cognition of and reaction to their environment may influence their health, and even promote health or buffer stress. Of these concepts, the notion of sense of coherence (SOC) developed by medical sociologist Aaron Antonovsky has gained much attention. According to Antonovsky’s salutogenic model, people who perceive their life as comprehensible and meaningful and who also consider themselves capable of managing problems are better able to deal successfully with health-threatening stressful situations of everyday life. Salutogenesis, the origin of health, focuses on the interaction between people and the structures of society, and elucidates how people manage stress and stay well despite stressful situations and hardships.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kap (subject category)