Subjective experience of health, personal health resources and beliefs: supporting a lifeworld approach to social work in youth health (Subjektive Gesundheit, personale Gesundheitsressourcen und -vorstellungen: Stärkung des Lebensweltansatzes in der Gesundheitsforderung junger Menschen als Konzept Sozialer Arbeit)

The Salutogenesis model proposes that life experiences shape our Sense of Coherence (SOC), supporting the application of resources to help us cope with stressors. Along with our beliefs, these factors determine our health experience. Young people face rapid development in relation to personal resources. However, to date, there has been little exploration of the subjective health experience or availability of resources of young people within the German context. This research employed a 2 phase, mixed-methods study using a questionnaire (n = 482) and focus groups (n = 12) to examine: subjective health experience, personal health resources (SOC), self-efficacy (SE) and health locus of control (HLoC) and health beliefs. Results identified three participant typologies. Type 1 reported the highest levels of subjective health and resources and defined health as relating to functional performance. Type 2 reported moderate health and resources and prioritised both physical and social health. Type 3 reported the poorest health and resources and low health priority. This study demonstrates the important relationship between subjective health assessment and personal resources for young people. It illustrates the importance of developmentally-tailored approaches to social work practice, founded in a lifeworld-oriented approach, to enable understanding of subjective health experience and foster agency to maximise health outcomes.