Concepts in the Care of At

Risk and Sick Adult

Clients

MODULE 1
HEALTH
World Health Organization (1948)
⚬ “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social
well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.”

World Health Organization (1986)

⚬ ·“A resource for everyday life, not the objective of living.
Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and
personal resources, as well as physical capacities.”
In 2009, researchers defined health as the ability
of a body to adapt to new threats and infirmities
H
E
A
L
Health refers to the physical, mental and A person is said to enjoy good health

T social well-being of a person. when he is free of any physical ailments,

mental stress and enjoys good
interpersonal relationships.
H
Types of
Health
Health inequities
affect all of us
differently.
Physical Health
• A person who has good physical health is likely to have bodily
functions and processes working at their peak
• Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate rest all contribute to
good health
Looking after physical health and well-being also
involves reducing the risk of an injury or health
issue, such as:
• minimizing hazards in the workplace
• using contraception when having sex
• practicing effective hygiene
• avoiding the use of tobacco, alcohol, or illegal
drugs
• taking the recommended vaccines for a specific
condition or country when traveling
MENTAL HEALTH

• Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, social,

and psychological well-being. Mental health is as
important as physical health as part of a full, active
lifestyle
• It is harder to define mental health than physical
health because many psychological diagnoses
depend on an individual’s perception of their
experience
 Good mental health is not only categorized by
the absence of depression, anxiety, or another
disorder. It also depends on a person’s ability to:
• enjoy life
• bounce back after difficult experiences and
adapt to adversity
• balance different elements of life, such as
family and finances
• feel safe and secure
• achieve their full potential
A mental illness, such as depression or
anorexia, can affect body weight and
overall function
Factors Affecting
Health

Genetic factors

Environmental factors
Genetic factors • An unusual genetic pattern or change can lead
to a less-than-optimum level of health

• People may inherit genes from their parents

that increase their risk for certain health
conditions
Environmental Factors

• where a person lives

• the state of the surrounding
environment
• genetics
• income
• level of education
• employment status
• The social and economic
environment
• The physical environment
• A person’s characteristics and
behaviors
 WELLNESS
• “Wellness is the optimal state of health of
individuals and groups.
• There are two focal concerns:
⚬ the realization of the fullest potential of an
individual physically, psychologically,
socially, spiritually, and economically, and
⚬ the fulfillment of one’s roles and
PRESERVING expectations in the family, community,
place of worship, and other settings.”
HEALTH
 STEPS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE
ATTAIN WELLNESS INCLUDE:

• eating a balanced, nutritious diet from as many natural

sources as possible
• engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate to high-
intensity exercise every week, according to the
American Heart Association
• screening for diseases that may present a risk
• learning to manage stress effectively
• engaging in activities that provide purpose
• connecting with and caring for other people
• maintaining a positive outlook on life
HEALTHCARE
 HEALTH CARE
• A broad term used to describe the various systems we as
humans rely upon to help us maintain our personal health
through the treatment (or prevention) of illness, injury,
disease, and other physical or mental impairments
 HEALTHCARE
ENCOMPASSES:
• medical doctors and hospitals
• dentistry,
• psychology,
• nursing,
• physical therapy, and
• occupational therapy
• Access to healthcare is seen as a fundamental human
right by many people and governments

• People who lack quality healthcare are often left with a

poorer quality of life and lower life expectancy than
people who enjoy a stable, accessible, and affordable
healthcare system

• Countries with efficient and effective health care

systems have overall better health outcomes than
countries whose health care systems lag
THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE IS
DETERMINED BY CONSIDERING A WIDE RANGE
OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THE:

• care process (preventive care measures, safe

care, coordinated care, and engagement and
patient preferences),
• access (affordability and timeliness),
• administrative efficiency,
• equity, and
• healthcare outcomes (population health,
mortality amenable to healthcare, and disease-
specific health outcomes)
In your observation, what do you think are the health care situations that we
are experiencing globally, nationally, or locally?
 What is global health?
• Global health focuses on the health
needs of people around the world
• It has a medical but also a political
dimension
Global health as a field of study:

Draws on a variety of disciplines from:

• economics,
• environmental science,
• epidemiology, and
• sociology
Global health, why is it important?
GLOBAL HEALTH Non-communicable diseases

TRENDS • Cancer, heart disease, and conditions related to obesity have

proved difficult challenges even to the best health systems

Infectious disease and pandemics

• Infectious diseases do not respect national borders, as was

illustrated during the COVID-19 pandemic

Food Supplies
• Threats to food supplies include diseases that infect livestock,
invasive pests, loss of genetic diversity, and climate change