Specific resistance resources in the salutogenic model of health

Abstract

This chapter discusses conceptual and concrete differences between generalised and specific resistance resources in the salutogenic model of health. This is important to health promotion research and practice, because the means by which these different types of resources are strengthened are dissimilar. It is important to distinguish between the two types of resistance resources, to ensure that health promotion pays balanced attention to both types. Generalised resistance resources arise from the cultural, social and environmental conditions of living and early childhood rearing and socialisation experiences, in addition to idiosyncratic factors and chance. Specific resistance resources, on the other hand, are optimised by societal action in which health promotion has a contributing role, for example the provision of supportive social and physical environments. Specific resistance resources actually have as much or more relevance to health promotion practice as do generalized resistance resources. By drawing attention to the special nature of specific resistance resources, one also draws attention to what should be a core aim of health promotion: to ensure that availability of the right specific resistance resource at the right time is not all too often a matter of ‘chance or luck’, as Antonovsky worried.