Health, Sickness & Natural History of Disease

Flashcards covering health, sickness, and the natural history of disease.

Health

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.

Disease

Imbalance with a failure of the organism's adaptive mechanisms, affecting its well-being.

Health Dimensions

Include physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, occupational/financial, environmental, and community health.

Physical Health

Involves bodily functions and the need for physical activity, healthy eating, and adequate sleep.

Intellectual Health

Involves the ability to think and learn from life experiences, questioning and evaluating information.

Emotional Health

Involves the ability to cope effectively with life and express emotions appropriately.

Social Health

Involves the ability to interact with other people and create support systems.

Spiritual Health

Having a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Wellbeing

A purposeful and enjoyable way of living, characterized by personal responsibility and optimal improvement of health.

Epidemiologic Triad/Triangle

A model of infectious disease causation involving the agent, environment, and host.

Agents of Disease

Can be biological (bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites), physical (changes in temperature), or chemical (toxic substances).

Natural History of Disease

How a disease progresses without treatment, including stages of susceptibility, subclinical disease, clinical disease, and recovery/disability/death.

Stage of Susceptibility

Also known as the pre-pathogenic period, where the person is not yet infected/sick, and the epidemiological triad occurs.

Stage of Subclinical Disease

The person is already infected/sick but is NOT showing symptoms (part of the pathogenic period).

Stage of Clinical Disease

Symptoms appear, diagnosis is made, and pathologic changes occur (part of the pathogenic period).

Resolution (of Disease)

The disease ends with recovery, disability, or death.

Sign

Health issues that can be observed and/or measured.

Symptom

Manifestations of disease that are only apparent to the patient or Subjective experience of a potential health issue.

Primary Prevention

Health activities aimed to promote health, aimed at health promotion, focus on maintaining or improving health.

Secondary Prevention

Aimed at diagnosing diseases early and treating them early.

Tertiary Prevention

Aimed at preventing complications and deterioration occurs when a defect is permanent.

Hygiene

Conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases.