iLLness, Wellness and

Health
DEFINITION OF HEALTH
-----------World Health Organization
Health is the state of physical,
mental, social well – being and not
merely the absence of disease or
infirmity
 Definitions of Health
o Health is individually defined by
each person
- on a personal level, individuals
define health according to:
- How they feel
- absence or presence of symptoms
of illness
- and ability to carry out activities
 WELLNESS

An integrated method of functioning

which is oriented toward maximizing
the potential of which the individual
is capable.
It requires that the individual
maintains a continuum of balance
and purposeful direction within the
environment where he is functioning
(Halbert Dunn).
 COMPONENTS
PHYSICAL
SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL
INTELLECTUAL
SPIRITUAL
OCCUPATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
 DISEASE
Objective pathologic
process

Pathologic change in the

structure or function of
the mind and body
 DISEASE

Acute
- rapid onset of symptoms
- Some are life threatening
- Many do not require medical
treatment
 DISEASE

 Chronic
 Broad term that encompasses many
different physical and mental alterations
in health
It is a permanent change
Requires special patient education for
rehabilitation
Requires long term of care and support
 ILLNESS

A HIGHLY PERSONAL STATE

IN WHICH THE PERSON
FEELS UNHEALTHY, MAY OR
MAY NOT RELATED TO
DISEASE.
 ILLNESS
Highly subjective
- feeling of being sick or ill
- How the person feels towards
sickness

o Concerns the nurse

 FIVE STAGES OF ILLNESS AND
HEALTH – SEEKING BEHAVIOR
BY SUCHMAN
 1. SYMPTOM EXPERIENCE
- Client realizes there is a problem
- Client responds emotionally

o 2. Sick Role Assumption

- Self – medication
- - Communication to others
 3. MEDICAL CARE CONTACT
- Seek advice of health professional
- May accept or deny diagnosis

- 4. DEPENDENT CLIENT ROLE

- Accepting the illness and seeking
treatment
5. RECOVERY OR
REHABILITATION
- Client is expected to
relinguish the dependent role
and resume former roles and
responsibilities
WELLNESS
 Well – being

A subjective perception of
balance, harmony and
vitality
Dimensions of Wellness
 Physical/ Biologic Dimension

- Genetic make up, age,

developmental level, race and
sex are all part of individual’s
physical dimension and
strongly influence health
status and health practice
 EMOTIONAL DIMENSIONS

Self – concept is how a person

feels about self and perceives
the physical self, needs, roles,
and abilities.
 Intellectual Dimension

Cognitive abilities,
educational background
and past experiences;
positive sense of purpose.
 Environmental Dimension

The ability to promote

health measures
Awareness of their
environment and how it
affects their health and level
of wellness
SOCIO – CULTURAL DIMENSIONS

Concerns having support network

and job satisfaction help people
avoid illness.
Culture and social interactions also
influence how a person perceives,
experiences, and copes with health
and illness.
 SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS

Refers to the recognition

and ability to practice moral
or religious principles or
beliefs and maintenance of
a harmonious relationships
with a supreme being.
Health – illness Continuum

 Health and illness can be viewed as the opposite

ends of a health continuum.
 From high level of health a person’s condition can
move through good health – normal health – poor
health- extremely poor health – to death
 People move back and forth within this continuum
day by day.
 How people perceive themselves and how others
see them in terms of health and illness will also
affect their placement on the continuum
Characteristics of Health – Illness
continuum Model

 At any time any person’s health status holds a place on

certain point between two ends of health – illness
continuum.

 Any point on the health – illness continuum is a

synthetically representation of various aspects of
individual in physiology, psychology and society
 Nurses Responsibilities

To help the client to identify their

place on the health – continuum

To assist the clients to adopt some

measures in order to reach a well
state of health
MODELS OF HEALTH AND
ILLNESS
 DUNN’S HIGH – LEVEL
WELLNESS AND GRID MODEL

 X – axis is health
- ranges from peak wellness to death

Y – Axis is environment
- ranges from very favorable to very unfavorable
 Quadrant 1 – high – level Wellness in a favorable
environment

 Quadrant 2 – Protected Poor Health in a favorable

environment

 Quadrant 3 – Poor health in an unfavorable environment

 Quadrant 4 – Emergent High level Wellness in an

unfavorable environment
 Travis’ Illness – Wellness
Continuum

Composed of two arrows

pointing in opposite
directions and joined at a
neutral point
1. movement to the right on the arrows
(towards high level wellness) equals an
increasing level of health and well – being.

 Achieved in 3 things
1. Awareness
2. Education
3. Growth
2. Movement to the left on the arrows
(towards premature death) equates a
progressively decreasing state of health
 Achieved in 3 steps
1. Signs
2. Symptoms
3. Disability
3. Most important is the direction the
individual is facing on the pathway
a. If towards high – level health, a person
has a genuinely optimistic or positive
outlook despite health status
b. If towards premature death, a person has
a genuinely pessimistic or negative
outlook about health status
4. Compares a treatment model with a
wellness model
a. If a treatment model is used, an individual
can move right only to the neutral point

b. If wellness model is used, an individual

can move right past the neutral point
 Health Belief model by
Rosenstock

 Concerned with what people perceive about

themselves in relation to their health

 Consider perceptions (influences individuals

motivation toward results)
- Perceived susceptibility
- Perceived seriousness
- Perceived benefit out of action
The end