Concepts of Health and Illness

Dr. Keen Brian Valle Arguelles, RN, RM, MAN, MPA, PhD
Dean, College of Midwifery

Introduction

Health is a fundamental right of every human being. It is a state of integration of the body and
mind. It is a much sought after state; a highly desirable state for most people and yet at times, it remain
elusive for some people.

Across the life span, man moves from the health spectrum to the illness spectrum. Some people
think of themselves as healthy and well if they are not ill and ill if they are not well. However, there is no
exact point at which health ends and illness begins as both are relative in nature.

Health and illness are highly individualized perceptions. Meanings and descriptions of health and
illness vary among people, in relation to geography and to culture.

This chapter will help you, to have a better notion and perspective of health and illness.

Concept of Health and Illness

• Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity. (WHO)

• Health is the ability to maintain the internal milieu. Illness is the result of failure to maintain the
interval environment. (Claude Bernard)

• Health is ability to maintain homeostasis or dynamic equilibrium. Homeostasis is regulated by

the negative feedback mechanism. (Walter Cannon)

• Health is being well and using one’s power to the fullest extent. Health is maintained through
prevention of disease via environment health factors. (nightingale)

Wellness and Well Being

• Wellness is well-being. It involves engaging in attitudes and behaviours that enhance quality of
life and maximize personal potential.

• Well-being is a subjective perception of balance, harmony, and vitality.

• Wellness is a choice.

• Wellness is a way of life.

• Wellness is the integration of body, mind and spirit.

DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS
Physical Dimension
 Genetic makeup, age, development level, race and sex are all part of an individual’s physical
dimension and strongly influence health status and health practice.

Examples:

1. The toddler just learning to walk is prone to tall and injure himself.

2. The young woman who has a family history of breast cancer and diabetes at a higher risk to
develop these conditions.

Emotional Dimensions

Refers to feelings, affect and person’s ability to express these; includes belief in one’s worth.
Long term stress affects the body systems and anxiety affects health habits; conversely, calm acceptance
and relaxation can actually change body responses to illness.

Intellectual Dimension

Encompasses cognitive abilities, educational background and past experiences; positive sense of
purpose.

These influence a client’s response to teaching about health and reactions to health care during
illness.

Environmental Dimension

The ability to promote health measures that improve the standard of living and quality of life in
the community. Includes influences such as food, water, and air.

Socio-culture Dimension

Concerns the sense of having support available from family and friends; practices, values and
beliefs that determine health.

Spiritual Dimensions

Refers to the recognition and ability to practice moral or religious principles or beliefs;
recognition and maintenance of a harmonious relationship with a Supreme Being.
: Illness and Disease

Illness

 Illness is a personal state in which the person feel unhealthy.

 Illness is a state in which a person’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social, developmental or spiritual
functioning is diminished or impaired compared with previous experience.
 Illness is not synonymous with disease; although nurses must be fimiliar with different kinds of disease
and thier treatments, they are concerned more with illness, which may include disease but also the
effects on functioning and well-being in all dimension.
Disease

 An alteration in body functions resulting in reduction of capacities or a shortining of the normal life span.
Common Causes of Disease
 1. Biologic agents (e.g.microorganism)
2. Inherited genetic defect (e.g. cleft palate)
3. Developmental defects (e.g. imperforate anus)
4. Physical agents (e.g. hot and cold substances, radiation, ultraviolet rays)
5. Chemical agents (e.g. lead, emission from smoke-belching cars)
6. Tissue response to irritation/injury (e.g. fever, inflammation)
7. Faulty chemical/ metabolic process (e.g. inadaquate insulin in diabetes mellitus, inadequate iodine
causing goiter)
8. Emotional/physical reaction to stress (e.g. anxiety, fear)
Stages of Illness

1. Symptom Experience
o Transition stage
o The person beleives something is wrong
o Experience some symptoms.
o 3 saspects:
 Physical (fever, muscle aches,malaise, headache)
 Cognative (perception of having flu)
 Emotional (worry on consequence of illness)
2. Assumption of Sick Role
o Acceptance of the illness
o Seeks advice, support for decision to give up some activities.
3. Medical Care Contact
o Seek advice of health professionals for the following reasons:
 Validation of real illness
 Explation of symptoms
 Reassurance or prediction of outcome
4. Dependent Patient Role
o The person becomes a client dependent on the health professional for help.
o Accepts/reject health professional’s suggestions.
o Becomes more passive and accepting.
o May regress to an earlier behavioral stage.
5. Recovery/Rehabilitation
o Gives up the sick role and returns to former roles and functions.
Risk Factors of a Disease

1. Genetic and Physiological Factors

o Heredity, or genetic predispositiont specific illness, is a major physical risk factor. For example, a
person with a family history of diabetes mellitus is at risk for developing the disease later in life.
2. Age
o Age increases or decreases susceptibility to certain illnesses (e.g. the risk of heart disease
increases with age for both sexes)
o The risk of birth defect and complication of pregnancy increase in women bearing children after
age 35.
3. Environment
o The physical environment in which a person works or live can increase the likelihood that certain
illnesses will occur. For example, some kinds of cancer and other disease are more likely to
develop when industries workers are exposedto certain chemicals or when people live near toxic
waste disposal sites.
 4. Lifestyle
o Many activities, habits and practices involve risk factors. Lifestyle practice and behavior can also
have positive or negative effects on health.
o Other habits that put a person at risk for illness include tobacco use, alcohol or drug abuse and
activities involving a threat of injury, such as skydiving or mountain climbing.
o Stress can be a lifestyle risk factor if its is severe or prolonged, or if the person is unable to cope
with life events adequately.
o Stress can threaten mental health (emotional stress), as well as physical well-being (physiologic
stress)
o The goal of risk factor identification is to merely assist clients in visualizing those areas in their life
can be modified oe even eliminited to promote wellness and prevent illness.

Leavell and Clark’s Three Levels of Prevention

1. Primary Prevention: to encourage optimal health and to increase the person’s resistance to illness. Seeks
to prevent a disease or condition at a prepathologic state; to stop something from ever happening.
 Health promotion
 Specific protection
2. Secondary Prevention:it is also known as health maintenance. Seeks to identify specific illnesses or
condition at an early stage with prompt intervention to prevent or limit disability; to prevent catastrophic
effects that could occur if proper attention and treatment are not provided.
 Early diagnosis/detection/screening
 Promt treatment to limit disability
3. Tetiary Prevention: to support the client’s achievement of successful adaptation to known risks, optimal
reconstitution, and/or establishment of high-level wellness
 Rehabilition

Patient’s Bill of Rights

 Right to considerate and respectful care
 Right to information on diagnosis, treatment and medicines.
 Right to obtain all the relevant information about the professionals involved in the patient care.
 Right to expect that all the communications and records pertaining to his/her case be treated as
confidential.
 Right to every consideration of his/her privacy concerning his/her medical care programme.
 Right to expect prompt treatment in an emergency
 Right to refuse to participate in human experimentation, research, project affecting his/her care or
treatment
 Right to get copies of medical records
 Right to know what hospital rules and regulations apply to him/her as a patient and the facilities obtained
to the patient
 Right to get details of the bill
 Right to seek second opinion about his/her disease, treatment, etc

Maslow’s Heirarchy Of Needs

it is a need of human which is arrange in a pyramid.

Needs at the bottom must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs upward.
Physiological- breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis, excretion

Safety- security of body, of employment, of resources, of morality, of the family, of health, of property.

Love/Belonging- friendship, family, sexual intimacy

Esteem- self-esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of others, respect by others.

Self-actualization- morality, creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, lack of prejudice, acceptance of facts. A
desire to become everything she is capable of becoming.

Basic Human Rights

1. Each person has a right to be treated respectfully.

2. Each person has a right to say no without explanation and guilt
3. Each person has a right to slow down and take time to think
4. Each person has a right to change his or her mind
5. Each person has a right to ask for what be or she want
6. Each person has a right to ask for information
7. Each person has a right to make maistakes
8. Each person has a right to make choices and accept the consequences of those choices
9. Each person has a right to own and express his or her own feeling
10. Each person has a right to ask of help
11. Each person has a right to maintain a separate self that independent of the expectetions, the approval or
the influence of others.

Prepare for oral exam