title: Health--mental health--quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Three positive aspects of human life manifestations are most frequently referred to as different, but closely interrelated concepts: health, mental health and quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Discussion of most frequently presented (WHO) definitions of the above mentioned concepts and of their certain shortcomings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Critical review of concepts and definitions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The definition of health stresses the functional aspects of all life manifestations of man, i.e. biological, psychological, and social. The functional qualities of mental health are characterised by five areas. QoL is discussed as a broad concept pertaining to the set of material, biological, psychological, social and cultural needs and demands related to the well-being and life satisfaction of an individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All of the discussed concepts point to the great complexity of factors playing their roles in human health, mental health, and the QoL. They all require an integrating and/or integrated concept as to the optimal character of biological, psychological, social, and cultural manifestations of human life. (Ref. 23.)
authors.affiliation: Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia. bll@fmed.uniba.sk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zikmund
mesh_terms: D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D010551:Personality; D011788:Quality of Life; D012931:Social Environment