Background: Modern health systems remain dominated by a pathogenic paradigm, emphasizing the diagnosis and treatment of disease rather than the cultivation of health. Despite global advances in medicine, chronic lifestyle-related conditions continue to rise, revealing the limitations of risk-based prevention. The Salutogenic Model, developed by Aaron Antonovsky, offers a transformative framework for health creation by focusing on the origins of health (salutogenesis) rather than the causes of illness (pathogenesis).
Purpose: This review examines how the Salutogenic Model can be applied to 21st-century preventive care to reorient health systems from fixing disease to building sustainable well-being. The study seeks to identify theoretical foundations, empirical evidence, and practical strategies for integrating Sense of Coherence (SOC) and salutogenic principles into health promotion, public policy, and clinical prevention.
Methods: A literature review was conducted following the Whittemore and Knafl framework. Searches across six databases—PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the WHO Global Health Library—identified 64 peer-reviewed and institutional studies published between 1980 and 2024. Quality appraisal employed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and CASP tools. Data were analyzed thematically to synthesize conceptual and empirical findings on salutogenesis and preventive health.
Results: Three major themes emerged: (1) Salutogenesis as the theoretical foundation for health creation, emphasizing resource-building and coherence; (2) Sense of Coherence (SOC) as a measurable predictor of resilience, preventive behavior, and subjective well-being; and (3) Systemic applications of salutogenic principles in public health, workplace wellness, nursing, and policy frameworks. Collectively, the evidence supports the view that prevention grounded in coherence, meaning, and participation leads to more resilient and sustainable health outcomes than risk-reduction models alone.
Conclusion: The review concludes that the Salutogenic Model provides both a theoretical and operational framework for transforming preventive care into a process of health creation. By reframing prevention as coherence-building, health systems can evolve from reactive disease management to proactive, meaning-centered health promotion. Integrating salutogenesis across education, policy, and community design represents a vital step toward achieving sustainable well-being in the 21st century.
Author keywords: Salutogenesis; Sense Of Coherence; Preventive Care; Health Creation; Resilience; Lifestyle Medicine; Positive Health; Health Promotion; Coherence; Public Health Paradigm
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