Health and Illness

What is HEALTH?
Health (by WHO)
- state of complete physical, mental and
social well being and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity.
On a personal level, health is defined
according to:
A. how the person feels
B. whether there is absence or presence of
symptoms of illness
C. ability of the individual to carry out
activities
Theoretical Concepts related to Health
A. Health is a continually changing phenomenon
> moves on a continuum
> change may be gradual or abrupt
 level of health attainable depends on adaptive energy,
genetic, and environmental factors
B. Variety of stresses affect physical, emotional and social
health
> may be internal or external
> may be detrimental or beneficial to life
> Sources of stress vary widely for different
individuals at different times.
> Tolerance for stress is individual
C. The ability to maintain a high level of wellness is
affected by an individual’s ideas, attitudes, and
knowledge relative to maintenance & promotion of
health.

D. The environment requires continual adaptations on

a conscious and unconscious level.
> adaptation depends on the nature of stress
> Success of adaptation will determine nature &
degree of assistance required to maintain equilibrium
E. Individual reacts as a unified whole to stress affecting
any aspect of health.
> Individual is an open system
> Individual is made of many interrelated subsystems
F. Client needs to determine necessary care
> Basic needs may be physiologic, psychologic, social
or spiritual
> Needs must be satisfied if a person is to carry on
activities of life
> Health problems manifest themselves differently in
each individual
• It is an abnormal process in which
the person’s level of functioning is
changed compared with a previous
level.
• Highly subjective – only the
individual person can say he or she
is ill.
• Synonymous with disease & may or
may not be related to disease.
 Factors that Influence Illness
1. Self-perception
2. Others’ perceptions
3. Effects of changes in body structure &
function
4. Effects of changes on roles & relationships
5. Cultural & spiritual values & beliefs
 Types of Illness
• ACUTE illness
- typically characterized by rapid onset
of symptoms of relatively short
duration
- symptoms may appear abruptly and
subside quickly
- may or may not require intervention
depending on the cause
• CHRONIC illness
- one that lasts for an extended period,
usually 6 months or longer, and often for
the person’s life.
- may have a slow onset
- often have periods of remission
(symptoms disappear) or exacerbation
(the symptoms reappear)
Factors Affecting Health & Illness (WHO)
A. Social and Economic Environment
1. Income and social status - higher income
and social status are linked to better health.
2. Education – low education levels are linked
with poor health, more stress and lower
self-confidence.
3. Social support networks – greater support
from families, friends and communities is
linked to better health.
4. Culture - customs and traditions, and
the beliefs of the family and community
all affect health.
5. Health services - access and use of
services that prevent and treat disease
influences health
Factors Affecting Health & Illness (WHO)

B. Physical Environment
1. Safe water and clean air, healthy
workplaces, safe houses, communities
and roads all contribute to good health.
2. Employment and working conditions –
people in employment are healthier,
particularly those who have more control
over their working conditions
Factors Affecting Health & Illness (WHO)

C. Person’s individual characteristics

and behaviours
1. Genetics
2. Personal behaviour and coping skills
3. Gender - men and women suffer from
different types of diseases at different
ages
 Health Care Delivery System
• Health care system - the organization of
people, institutions, and resources that
deliver health care services to meet the
health needs target populations.
• Health care delivery system (HDS)
- described as the organized response
of a society to the health problems of
its population (Van der Zee et al., 2004).
,Teaching
Factors Influencing the Delivery of Health
Care

1. Cost has been a driving force for

change in the health care system as
evidenced by the strength and
numbers of managed care plans,
increased use of outpatient
treatment, and shortened hospital
stays (Bodenheimer, 2005)
Factors Influencing the Delivery of Health
Care

2. Access to health care services has

a serious impact on the
functioning of the health care
system. As a result of the cost,
health care for many people is
crisis-oriented and fragmented.
Factors Influencing the Delivery of Health
Care

3. Safety and quality are frequently

compromised by inappropriate
substitution of unqualified personnel
for registered nurses in direct care of
clients.
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