Welcome to the Institute for Salutogenesis!

The Institute for Salutogenesis presents a groundbreaking approach to health, moving beyond the traditional focus on disease management to emphasize flourishing and well-being. Rooted in the salutogenic model—a paradigm that views health as a spectrum from well-being to illness—the Institute is dedicated to pioneering practices that uplift individuals and communities.

Launching July 2025

Salutogenesis

Derived from the Latin salūt-, salūs "safety, well-being, health" + -genesis origin, salutogenesis is “a newer way of thinking about health...a manner of monitoring health by promoting well-being rather than measuring disease.”

The Merriam-Webster dictionary

Overview

Vision & Mission

Our vision is a world where people don't just survive, they thrive. Our mission is to champion the salutogenic approach, spotlighting the positive aspects that contribute to mental, physical, and social well-being. Through education, research, and advocacy, we aim to replace the prevailing pathogenic focus on disease with a holistic strategy that empowers individuals to achieve optimal health.

Contact The Institute for More Information

A half-century ago medical researcher and sociologist Aaron Antonovsky introduced a novel framework for viewing day-to-day health as a point on a continuum ranging from major illness and misery on through to engaged and energized thriving. Antonovsky applied the term “Salutogenesis” to the focus on movement toward higher levels of health in contrast to traditional emphasis in the medical model on harm and loss of function (movement downward from baseline health, or pathogenesis).

Action Plans

Educational Outreach: Disseminate the principles of salutogenesis through educational programs, media , training, and public awareness campaigns.
Innovative Research: Conduct studies to identify pathways to health and develop interventions and tools that enable individuals to flourish.
Policy Advocacy: Work with governmental bodies and NGOs to integrate salutogenic principles into public health policies and community planning.
Partnerships: Cultivate relationships with academic, community, and political stakeholders to disseminate and scale salutogenic practices.

Key Initiatives

Healthcare Transformation: Shifting the healthcare paradigm from one that treats illness to one that promotes well-being.
Community Empowerment: Leveraging social determinants to build resilient communities, focusing on environmental wellness, educational contexts, and workplace settings.
The First 1000 Days: A cornerstone program that looks at how salutogenic principles can positively impact the crucial early development stages of life.
The Citizenism Project: An affiliated initiative aiming to promote democratic engagement as a part of overall well-being.

Salutogenesis Along the River of Life

We champion a life course approach to health and well-being, from the critical "First 1000 Days of Life" through old age. We embrace the salutogenic model to strengthen individual and community health and address the social determinants of health at every stage:

The First 1000 Days: Laying the foundation for long-term well-being by emphasizing early life health from preconception to a child's second birthday.
Childhood: Supporting health and development throughout childhood with tailored interventions.
Adulthood: Addressing the challenges and opportunities for adults to lead healthy, thriving lives.
Elder-hood: Focusing on factors that contribute to well-being for elders, ensuring a dignified and fulfilling later life.

Learn More About Salutogenesis Along the Life Course

Salutogenesis in the Healthcare System

At the Institute for Salutogenesis, we are dedicated to redefining American healthcare by prioritizing equity, sustainability, and accessibility. Our Salutogenic Healthcare System Focus is not just about treating illness but about nurturing comprehensive health and well-being. We envision a proactive healthcare system that integrates into all aspects of life, ensuring that every citizen has the opportunity to achieve optimal health.

Education: The promotion of the salutogenic paradigm in the medical and public settings.
Clinical Care: Translational multidisciplinary clinical practice & dissemination of best practice
Research: Basic and applied interdisciplinary Salutogenic research.
Advocacy: Promote salutogenic informed public engagement and policy.

Personal Salutogenesis

My Optimal Health: Provide education and tools for individuals salutogenic experience of well being.
Health Promotion: Salutogenic informed public health activities.

Social Salutogenesis

Community: What constitutes a salutogenic community? How do we measure it?
Nation: Understating and engaging with wellbeing and flourishing activity and measurement.

Salutogenesis in Settings

Work: Salutogenesis in working life explores the challenging and fast-changing context for health.
Schools: How can salutogenic factors impact education? What are strategies to create a salutogenic educational experience?
Military: Salutogenic informed understanding and approaching military challenges experienced by soldiers and their families.
Political: The use of salutogenic understanding to address various challenges within the political ecosystem.