Abstract
Health, disease, overdiagnosis and defensive medicine are interrelated complex concepts that lack formal definitions and a uniform holistic perspective. Functional definitions of these concepts are context-specific and differ in relation to clinical practice, research, medical science and health insurance. In the context of clinical practice that is the focus of this review, having no clear working definitions of health, disease, overdiagnosis and defensive medicine is essential for distinguishing people who need medical intervention from those who do not, for formulating accurate diagnosis and treatment options, and for improving professional communication between clinicians and between clinicians and their patients.
The purpose of this narrative review is to promote the understanding of the concepts of health, disease, overdiagnosis, defensive medicine and their interrelation in the context of clinical practice, with the view of enhancing the quality of healthcare services.