Limit display results by database selection

I am wondering how I limit listing displays based on a parameter in a drop down. For example, I have a list section in one the section editors, and the options within this 'section' (field name) are health, diet, food, lifestyle. On the list page, I only want to show one of the sections at a time... sort of like

'where' => ' section="health" ',

Would this be the correct way to display only the articles which are related to health?

Thanks in advance