This chapter examines the concepts of health and well-being. It raises the question of whether there are commonalities in human perception and understanding about health and well-being that can be traced across cultures, or whether different societies' attitudes and views are irredeemably society-specific. It argues that although it is up to the individual to register whether they feel well or ill, they will do so not just in relation to their ideas on the causes and nature of diseases, but also in the light of the assumptions and values of the society to which they belong or to some sub-group within it.
Keywords: health, well-being, disease, cultural relativism, cross-cultural universals