Health vs. Welfare — What's the Difference?

Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity." A variety of definitions have been used for different purposes over time. Health can be promoted by encouraging healthful activities, such as regular physical exercise, and by reducing or avoiding unhealthful activities or situations, such as smoking or excessive stress.

Welfare is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance programs, which provide support only to those who have previously contributed (e.g.

The overall condition of an organism at a given time.

The health, happiness, and fortunes of a person or group

Soundness, especially of body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality.

Statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need

A condition of optimal well-being

Health, happiness, and good fortune; well-being

A wish for someone's good health, often expressed as a toast.

Financial or other aid provided, especially by the government, to people in need.

The state of being free from physical or psychological disease, illness, or malfunction; wellness.

See welfare work.

A state of well-being or balance, often physical but sometimes also mental and social; the overall level of function of an organism from the cellular (micro) level to the social (macro) level.

See corporate welfare.

Physical condition.

(uncountable) Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect.

In shape, in forme.

Various forms of financial aid provided by the government to those who are in need of it (often called welfare assistance in UK English).

(obsolete) Cure, remedy.

Such payment.

(countable) A toast to prosperity.

(transitive) To provide with welfare or aid.

(video games) The amount of damage an in-game object can withstand before it is destroyed.

Well-doing or well-being in any respect; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; exemption from any evil or calamity; prosperity; happiness.

(obsolete) A warrior; hero; man.

Governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need

The state of being hale, sound, or whole, in body, mind, or soul; especially, the state of being free from physical disease or pain.

Something that aids or promotes well-being;

A wish of health and happiness, as in pledging a person in a toast.

A contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous;

A healthy state of wellbeing free from disease;

The general condition of body and mind;