Energy as a central factor in the self-assessment of health.

This article explores the role of energy in conceptualization of health, based on self-reported health ratings in 310 women (master's-prepared nurses) ages 50 to 70 years. The health self-assessment instrument consists of 1 global and 10 specific items. The item energy level emerged as central--loading on both the psychosocial health and physiologic health factors and accounting for 48% of variance of Global Health Self-Assessment. These findings build on the World Health Organization definition of health as a synthesis of psychosocial and physiologic well-being; energy level is key to an integrated view of health.