Maslow revised: How COVID-19 highlights a circle of needs, not a hierarchy

This paper presents evidence to show that Maslow's hierarchy is better represented as a dynamic circle, proposes a revised and enhanced version on that basis, and demonstrates how this can optimise well-being. Examples from everyday life, from research, and most notably from the current COVID-19 pandemic are used to demonstrate that human health and psychological well-being depend equally on biological, psychological, and social factors and that these interact dynamically. The paper illustrates two effective models of response to human distress during the pandemic and offers a vision of public health that involves meeting the universal biopsychosocial needs of the human condition rather than treating health conditions purely in isolation. This has implications for service delivery and public health planning. This paper represents a new vision of Maslow's famous theory with significant practical applications to improve the effectiveness of public health policies and health and social care services.