Hi,
A short time ago there was a request for information on "holistic" health and a
suggestion re the nursing theory of Martha Rogers. I was in the process of
changing email accounts and so could not reply. I hope the information is still
useful.

The term holistic health is somewhat redundant since both come from the say root
word meaning "whole". Health is wholenes and promoting health promoting
wholeness, from this perspective. All of the grand nursing theorists approach
health in this way; however, some counter reductionistic medical approaches
better than others and among them are Newman, Parse, Rogers, and Watson.
However, most of these theories have been developed with a focus on individuals
in the context of cure.  The assumptions underpinning Watson's theory are very
consistent with the principles of primary health care and health promotion as it
has come to be understood following the Ottawa Charter. I have recently
published an article that extrapolates  its principles to a holistic approach to
community health nursing. It is in Advances in Nursing Science, 23(2), 34-49.
I'd be happy to provide you with further references if you're interested.

Adeline Falk-Rafael,
Associate Professor, Nursing
York University