Student#810 121 269

Exploring Health Beliefs and Determinants of Health

Student Number: 810 121 269
Submitted: October 9th, 2013
NURS 160: Theory
Humber College ITAL

Exploring Health Beliefs and Determinants of Health

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The way we view health and our health beliefs ultimately is a deciding factor on how we
live our lives each and every day. Social determinants are also factors in the health of an
individual such as social support networks, stress, and individual health practices. I have outlined
my definition of health and how it is associated with my personal health practices on a day to day
basis. I have compared my health beliefs with a classmate and reflected on how my new
knowledge about health will impact my nursing practice in the near future. By utilizing this new
knowledge about health, I have implemented a few ways to incorporate it into my personal
health practice. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how my health is comprised of
various aspects by exploring my health beliefs, cultural practices, and social determinants of
health.
Health Rationale
My definition of health is the bodys comprehensive psychosocial, physical, and spiritual
prosperity. The most accurate definition to complement my personal definition is by the World
Health Organization which states that Healthisastateofcompletephysical,mentalandsocial
wellbeingandnotmerelytheabsenceofdiseaseorinfirmity(WorldHealthOrganization,
1948).There are many conflicting definitions of health because each persons outlook on health
is diverse. I perceive health as being able to enjoy life, being physically mobile independently,
and knowing ones function in life. The WHO definition closely resembles my own definition
because they both centre on a holistic approach to health by incorporating physical, mental and
behavioural aspects that influence health. Being free of disease and illness are imperative, but
our definitions are focused on how social determinants influence health. The environment which
you are exposed to has a remarkable impact on health, whether it is the community you reside,
the food you consume, or the people you interact with.

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I utilize various personal health practices but they are constantly surrounding the fact that
I am very spiritual. Being spiritual to me is finding a positive direction in my life and connecting
with others. I exercise this philosophy to influence the way I believe regarding my physical and
psychosocial health. Being optimistic in my life also means integrating physical and
psychosocial aspects to maintain my positivity. My definition of psychosocial health is
interacting with others and I centre physical health on physical mobility. One way I sustain
psychosocial health is by being connected to people I care for and one way I sustain my physical
health is by being physically active. To have a positive direction in my life represents
incorporating these three fundamental concepts into my existence.
Health Beliefs
As previously mentioned, maintaining psychosocial health is essential to me and as a
result, one social determinant of health that impacts me is my social support network. More
specifically, cultivating emotional and informational support is significant to me because it
creates a sense of meaning in life and Im continuously guided in the correct path by my family
and friends. When I frequently surround myself with others, such as friends and family, my
sense of self importance and security are increased. This is because I recognize that people
genuinely like to associate with me and that I can rely on others to listen and cope when I am in
need. Activities that others acknowledge to a lesser extent such as going out for lunch, studying
with a group, and encompassing motivational support while in the gym are essential to me. I
surround myself with my friends and family so we can laugh, enjoy life together, and cherish
memories that we can reflect on. They say that laughter is the best medicine.
Another determinant of health that has affected my health practice is stress. Stress as a
part of my life has affected me physically and mentally, mainly because it affects the state of
mind and how I carry myself in life. It also stems from negative thoughts and feelings that may
arise. Stress has a major impact on the immune system and functioning as a whole. Prior to an

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exam I would ponder negative thoughts about the outcome of the exam which would in fact lead
me to get sick. I quickly learned that reminiscing about optimistic thoughts greatly amplifies
your chance of having a positive outcome for any activity in life, as well as preventing and
abstaining from numerous diseases such heart disease and cancer. Surrounding yourself with
people that impact your life in a positive manner will increase your confidence considerably. As
a result of increased stress levels, I take on activities that will deviate away from having stressful
thoughts such as engaging in cardiovascular exercise to keep the heart healthy, playing video
games and even interacting with others.
Cultural View
Cultural beliefs affect each and every person in our world because there are different
aspects that are incorporated into it such as age, gender, and religion. Firstly, we must define
what culture is. Culture is the patterns of ideas, customs and behaviours shared by a particular
people or society (Caring for Kids New to Canada, 2013). Our culture originates from the West
Indies. The food that we consume would not be considered healthy when it comes to a wellbalanced diet. Foods that surround our culture contain plenty of carbohydrates and fat such as
rice, chicken, and bread. Consuming plenty of food and alcohol at special occasions, events, and
parties is the norm. These activities can have a negative impact on my health because simply our
diet is not balanced with fruits and vegetables. I have outlined a few of the negative aspects to
my culture and health, but there are positives such as shared interactions with others that enhance
psychosocial health such as interacting with friends and family on special occasions.
Personal Health Vision
In the society that we are exposed to, it is vital for our personal health practices be
enhanced so our health does not deteriorate due to stress related to studies and reduced mobility
due to lack of physical activity. In the future, I will reduce my stress from school related work
but managing time effectively. By recognizing my priorities in life, it becomes unproblematic to

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focus when it comes to studying and allocating time for recreation. For instance, when there is
an assignment for me to complete, I tend to procrastinate on it. By allocating time each day to
complete the assignment, it is not as difficult since I am not rushing to complete it prior to the
due date which would inevitably increase my stress levels. Furthermore, by allocating time to
engage in team sports, I can cooperate with others and enhance my physical, psychosocial, and
spiritual health.
Compare and Contrast
A colleague and I decided to compare and contrast our scholarly assignments to see
where we stand in terms of health beliefs. She defines health as the condition of physical, mental,
and social welfare (K. Arenas, Personal Communication, October 5, 2013). I noticed that my

colleague views being optimistic in life as a significant factor in determining ones well-being,
which is a belief that I advocate. Being optimistic in life can influence someones heart health to
their blood pressure. In a similar study of 298 angioplasty patients, optimism was also
protective; over a six-month period, pessimists were three times more likely than optimists to
have heart attacks or require repeat angioplasties or bypass operations (Harvard Health
Publications, 2008). This is a prime example of how thinking positively can have a huge impact
on the health of individuals. By identifying different causes of illness and disease, such as stress
and pessimistic thinking, we can construct behaviour in others to suppress this negative thinking
and reduce the amount of patients that are admitted to hospitals. In contrast to my colleagues
definition of health, I included physical well-being as an important aspect of general health. I
view physical well-being as a determinant of whether a person will develop different diseases
such as heart disease and cancer, mainly because I understand there is a clear link between the
two. In addition, she believes that creating and fostering personal relationships with other
individuals is crucial in promoting human well-being. My colleague stated, My social health is at

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its highest point due to the relationships I have with family, friends, classmates, and coworkers
(K. Arenas, Personal Communication, October 5, 2013).
Implementation in Nursing
I have gained valuable insight on the perspectives of others health definitions and most
importantly, how health is significant to me. It is very important to incorporate and learn from
others to have an open mind concerning the health of different individuals. For instance,
observing an obese patient with a chronic eating disorder who is at a serious risk of heart disease
and stroke. The patient may have a chronic eating disorder, but there may be reasons such as
social exclusion and stress which lead to chronic eating to satisfy his or her needs. The patient
may be such a pessimist, that he or she believes that there is absolutely no alternative to eating
and he or she will eventually die as a result of their obesity. Recommending that patient to start
an exercise regime and balanced diet would be crucial, but there are numerous ways of
supporting this routine such as attending a spirituality class or participating in a day camp to
interact with other individuals. From this assignment, the way I think regarding others health has
transformed considerably. In my nursing practice, I will ask these questions to myself and others
to broaden the scope of assessment and discover alternative ways in which we can assist
regaining and maintaining optimal health. By implementing care plans for patients that
incorporates more than just merely a medical perspective, we can prevent behaviour that lead to
the disease or illness. I have also learned that there are people that view health very similar to
me which is a great step in combating mental health disorders.
Conclusion
In summary, we have discussed my definition of health and how there are factors outside
of the physical realm that contribute to my health such as psychosocial well-being and spiritual
wealth. Being positive in life, creating social networks for support, and reducing stress are key
components in the maintenance of my optimal health. Furthermore, cultural behaviours have

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great impacts on health, so we must recognize what influences it has on our well-being. By
utilizing these concepts we can ultimately save lives and help people live longer. Becoming a
nurse is a great responsibility. Knowledge in areas such as social determinants of health, health
practices, and cultural practices, can help nurses achieve their fullest potential when assisting
patients in living healthy lives.

References
Harvard Health Publications Health Information and Medical Information Harvard Health
Publications. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mens_Health_Watch/2008/May/opti
mism-and-your-health
How Culture Influences Health Culture and Health. Caring for Kids New to Canada. Caring
for Kids New to Canada N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013
http://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/culture/influence
WHO Definition of Health World Health Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 25. Sept. 2013.

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www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.htm