HEALTH AND ILLNESS

What is health?
Disease free state
According to the World Health Organization

It is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Soundness or wholeness of the body

What is illness?
A sickness or deviation from a healthy

state
Its considered as a broader concept than

disease
According to Imogene King

Illness is an interference in the life cycle

Disease
Alteration in body functions; resulting in a reduction of capacities or shortening of the normal life span

Etiology
Causation of the disease Identification of all the causal factors that act together to bring about a particular disease

Risk Factors
any situation, habit, social or environmental condition, physiological or psychological condition that increases the vulnerability of an individual or group to an illness or accident

Risk Factors of a disease:

Genetic Age Environment Lifestyle

What is Wellness?
Choice to move towards optimal health; integration of body, mind & spirit; loving acceptance of self; a way of life

Dimensions of Wellness
1. Physical carry out daily tasks; to practice positive lifestyle 2. Social successful interaction with people;

develop & maintain intimacy with significant others; to develop respect & tolerance for those with different opinions

Dimensions of Wellness
3. Emotional ability to manage stress; express emotions appropriately; to accept ones limitations

4. Intellectual ability to learn & use information effectively for personal, career & family development

Dimensions of Wellness
5. Spiritual belief in some force that gives meaning & purpose to life

Concepts on Health & Illness

According to Claude Bernard Health is the ability to maintain the internal milieu. Illness is the result of failure to

maintain the internal environment

According to Walter Cannon

Health is the ability to maintain homeostasis or dynamic equilibrium. Homeostasis is regulated by the negative feedback mechanism

Concepts on Health & Illness

- According to Walter Canon Ability to maintain homeostasis

- According to Martha Rogers

Symbolizes wellness; defined by the culture or individual

Concepts on Health & Illness Health Belief Model

- describes the relationship between persons belief & behavior - individual perceptions & modifying factors may influence health beliefs

Agent Host-Environment Model

Ecologic model 3 interactive factors that affect health & illness. Agent, host & environment

Health Promotion Model

Multi-dimensional nature of persons as they interact within the environment to attain good health.

Smiths Models of Health: 1. Clinical Model Health is identified by the absence of signs & symptoms of disease or injury. not being sick

2. Role Performance Model Defines health how an individual performs societal roles, performs work; people who can fulfill their roles are said to be healthy even if they appear clinically ill.

3. Adaptive model Health is a creative process, disease is the result of failure to adapt; focus is adaptation & interaction to the environment to achieve maximum potential

4. Eudaemonistic model Most comprehensive view of health; health is seen as a condition of actualization or realization of a persons potential; fulfillment & complete development

Factors affecting health

Genetics Cognitive abilities Demographic factors Geographic Locale Culture Lifestyle and environment

Factors affecting health

Previous health experiences Spirituality Support systems Health beliefs and practices

Disease Stages
Exposure or injury
Latency or incubation period Prodromal period Acute phase

Disease Stages
Remission
Convalescence Recovery

Types of Illness
Acute Chronic

Effects of Illness
Changes in body appearance or function
Sensory changes Unusual body emissions Uncomfortable physical manifestations Changes in emotional status Changes in relationships

Stages of Illness:
1. Symptom Experience

Person believes that something is wrong

2. Assumption of Sick Role Acceptance of the illness; seeks advice, support decisions to give up some activities

3. Medical Care Contact Seeks advice of health professionals to validate the illness, explanation of symptoms & to predict outcomes of the illness

4. Dependent Patient Role Dependent on health professional for help; may accept or reject doctors suggestions, passive & accepting

5. Recovery/rehabilitation Returns to former roles & functions

Levels of Prevention:

1. Primary Prevention

Increase persons resistance to illness; prevents the disease from happening ex. Eat a well balanced diet

2. Secondary Prevention Health maintenance; identify illness or conditions at an early stage with intervention to prevent exacerbation. Ex. Regular Paps smear for women

3. Tertiary Prevention Recovery process after a disease or injury has occurred; aim is to slow

down the disease process & assists the patient in achieving an optimal health status ex. rehabilitation after a stroke

Reaction to Illness:

Frustration Anxiety Anger Uncertainty

Reaction to Illness:

Denial Shame Grief

Emotional reactions to illness:

1.) Anxiety normal reaction to stress, threat or harm 2.) Fear reaction to specific threat

Anxiety
- Vague feeling of dread or
apprehension; response to internal or external stimuli considered normal when appropriate to the situation

Levels of
1. Mild anxiety

Anxiety:

Motivates people to make changes or engage in role directed activities - Sensory stimulation increases & helps the person to focus

2. Moderate anxiety Disturbing feeling that something is wrong; agitated or nervous - Difficulty concentrating but can be redirected to the topic - Decreased awareness of environmental details

3. Severe anxiety disturbance in thought pattern & reasoning - muscles tighten, VS increase, person paces, restless, irritable, angry - perceptual field greatly decreased

4. Panic cognitive process focuses on the persons defense; distorted perceptions of the environment; inability to understand situations dont know what to do, dont know what to say

Panic

Health Promotion
Any activity undertaken for the purpose of achieving a higher level of health & well being

Nurses Role in Health Promotion:

1. Model healthy lifestyle

behaviors & attitude 2. Teach client self care strategies to enhance fitness

3. Improve nutrition, manage stress & enhance relationships 4. Assists individual families & communities to increase their levels of health