Health Promotion

Across the Lifespan

FEU – INSTITUTE OF NURSING
HEALTH & ILLNESS FACULTY
Why Be Concerned About Health
Across the Lifespan?
 Need to understand the influence of social
and health determinants as predictors of
population and individual health
(environment, access)
 Social determinants of health structure will
determine population health, behavior and
services utilization
 Social determinants of health will influence
health from early life (aging, education, social
safety net, lifestyle series, employment,
income, wellness and access)
 Intrauterine/Prenatal
 Lasts approximately 9 calendar months
 1st trimester: embryo tissues differentiate
into 3 layers (ectoderm, mesoderm,
endoderm)
 2nd trimester: fetus resembles a small
baby, development of vernix and lanugo
 3rd trimester: development of more
subcutaneous fat, weight increases
 Health Promotion in the
Intrauterine/Prenatal Development
 Focuses on health of the MOTHER
 Because the embryo/fetus relies on
maternal blood for basic survival needs
 Health Promotion in the
Intrauterine/Prenatal Development
 OXYGEN
Mother increases her normal blood flow by
1/3, RR by 40% and, CO significantly
 NUTRITION AND FLUIDS
• Fetus swallows amniotic fluid
• Mother should eat a well-balanced diet
with sufficient calories
• Folic acid supplements/Folic-rich foods
 Health Promotion in the
Intrauterine/Prenatal Development
 REST AND ACTIVITY
• Fetal activity is felt by the 5th month
 ELIMINATION
• Fetal feces not excreted until after birth
• Mother should maintain adequate
oxygenation to prevent passage of feces
into the amniotic fluid
• Urine is excreted into the AF at 16-20 wks
AOG
 Health Promotion in the
Intrauterine/Prenatal Development
 THERMOREGULATION
• Amniotic fluid provides temperature
maintenance
• Mother should avoid hot baths, saunas and
must not get ill
 SAFETY
• Mother should avoid smoking and alcohol
• Fetus is vulnerable to damage from
teratogens
 Neonates and Infants
 Monitor infants’ weight, length, head
and chest circumference, fontanelle
size and status, senses, reflexes, and
motor development
 Weight doubles by 5 months, triples
by 12 months
 Trust vs Mistrust
 Cognitive: Reflexive ability to using 1-
2 actions
Measuring an infant head to heel, from the top
of the head to the base of the heels.

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Copyright 2004
An infant’s head circumference is measured
around the skull, above the eyebrows.

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The bones of the skull, showing the
fontanelles and suture lines.

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An infant sits without support at 6
months of age.

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 Health Problems of
Neonates and Infants
 Failure to Thrive
 Infant Colic
 Crying
 Child Abuse
 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS)
Apgar Scoring System to
Assess the Newborn

Image
Bank
 TODDLER
 1-3 yrs old
 Develop from having no voluntary
control to being able to walk and
speak
 Toilet training
The toddler has the motor ability to jump and
kick a ball.

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 Health Problems of Toddlers

 Accidents
 Visual Problems
 Dental Caries
 Respiratory
Tract and Ear
Infections

Keep medicines and other

poisonous materials locked away
 Preschoolers

 4-5 years old

 Physical growth slows
 Control of body and coordination
increase greatly
 Phase of Intuitive thought/
Egocentrism
 Capable of prosocial behavior
A preschooler brushing her teeth.

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Education
Preschoolers often identify with the parent of
the same sex and like to mimic behavior.

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 Health Problems of Pre-
Schoolers

 Similar in toddlerhood
• RTI
• Accidents
• Dental Caries
 School Age Children

 6-12 years
 Includes prepuberty period
 Industry vs Inferiority
 Concrete Operations
Expanding cognitive skills enable school-age
children to interact cooperatively in activities
of an increasingly complex nature, as shown
by the children playing this board game.

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2004
 Health Problems of
School-Age Children
 Communicable diseases
 Dental caries
 Accidents
 Obesity
 Adolescents
 12-18 yrs old
 Adolescence- period during which the
person becomes physically and
psychologically mature and acquires a
personal identity
 Growth spurt
 Identity vs Role Confusion
 Peer groups assume great importance
Adolescent peer group relationships enhance a
sense of belonging, self-esteem, and self-
identity.

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Education
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2004
Health Problems among Adolescents
 Vehicular accidents
 Suicide
 Homicides
 Unintentional injuries
 Depression
 Tooth decay
 Gingivitis
 Malalignment of Teeth
 Young Adults
 20 - 40 years old
 The genital stage in which energy is
directed toward attaining a mature
sexual relationship (Freud)
 Intimacy vs Isolation
 Young Adults
 Developmental tasks:
• Selecting a mate
• Learning to live with a partner
• Starting a family
• Rearing children
• Managing a home
• Getting started in an occupation
• Taking on civic responsibility
• Finding a congenial social group
Many young women combine active careers
with motherhood.

© Elena
Dorfman
Pearson Education
Copyright 2004
icid
 Health Problems
 Accidents
 Suicide
 Hypertension
 Substance Abuse
 STDs
 Violence
 Abuse of Women
 Malignancies
38-44
 Middle-Aged Adults
 40-65 years old
 Years of stability and consolildation
 Menopause for women
 Andropause for men
 Generativity vs Stagnation
 Middle-Aged Adults
 Tasks of Middle Age
• Valuing wisdom vs physical power and
attractiveness
• Socializing vs sexualizing
• Emotional flexibility vs emotional rigidity
• Mental flexibility vs mental rigidity
Middle-ages adults have time to pursue interests
that may have been put aside for child care.

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 Health Problems
 Accidents
 Cancer
 Cardiovascular Disease
 Obesity
 Alcoholism
 Mental Health Alterations
 Older Adults
 Generally Over 65 years old
• Young-old: 65-75y/o
• Old: 75-85 y/o
• Old-old: 85-100 y/o
• Elite old: over 100 y/o
A regular program of exercise is important for
maintenance of joint mobility and muscle tone
and can promote socialization.

© Elena Pearson Education

Dorfman
Copyright 2004
Many elderly people find creative outlets
during retirement.

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 Health Problems
 Accidents
 Chronic disabling illness
 Drug use and misuse
 Alcoholism
 Dementia
 Elder abuse
 When nurses have a good
understanding of development tasks,
their clients can be assessed more
completely, and nurses can help
them to maximize their potential and
develop interventions that use
resources to work on special needs.