Ch6

Chapter 6: Health and Wellness

6.1 Definition of Health

  • World Health Organization (WHO) Definition:

    • Health is about feeling great in your body, mind, and interactions with others. It’s not just about not being sick.

    • This definition comes from WHO in the years 1947 and 2018.

  • Personal Definition:

    • Every person thinks about health differently. It can change based on what’s important to them, their personality, and how they live their life.

6.2 Factors Influencing Health

A lot of things can affect our health:

  • Money: How much money people have can change what health treatments they can get.

  • Age: Our bodies and health needs change as we get older.

  • Education: What we learn can help us take better care of ourselves.

  • How We Feel About Health: How we see our own health and how well our bodies work matters.

  • Mental Health: Being happy and stress-free affects our overall health.

  • Beliefs: Our culture and what we believe in can change how we feel about being healthy.

  • Genes: Some health issues can run in families because of our genes.

  • Environment: Where we live (like in a clean or polluted area) can affect our health.

6.3 Risk Assessment

In understanding health risks, we look at:

  • Risk Factors: Things that could make us sick.

  • Types of Risk Factors:

    • Nonmodifiable: Things we can’t change, like genetics (what we inherit from our parents).

    • Modifiable: Things we can change, such as our weight, how much we exercise, or our sun exposure.

  • Impact on Care: Understanding these risks helps doctors create better plans to help us stay healthy or get better.

6.4 Social Determinants of Health

  • These are factors from our surroundings or community that can affect our health outcomes, like having access to fresh food or safe places to exercise.

6.5 Health Promotion

  • What is Health Promotion?

    • It means helping patients control their own health by getting more exercise and managing stress.

  • Health Education:

    • Teaching people how to take care of themselves, such as:

      • Managing conditions like diabetes,

      • Keeping clean and healthy with good hygiene,

      • Getting proper vaccinations.

  • Assessments Before Education:

    • Doctors or teachers check:

      • How old the patient is,

      • If they can understand the information,

      • What they can do in their daily lives,

      • How they see their own health,

      • What they can improve upon,

      • If they want to learn more.

6.6 Learning Environment

  • Positive Learning Environment:

    • Create quiet, distraction-free spaces for teaching. One technique used is called the “teach-back method” where the student repeats what they learned.

  • Barriers to Learning:

    • Some challenges include understanding how someone learns best, correcting any wrong information about health, and helping those who speak another language by using professional translators instead of family members.

6.7 Disease Prevention

  • Levels of Prevention:

    • Primary: Helping people become healthier before they get sick (like getting a flu vaccine).

    • Secondary: Stopping a disease from getting worse after it starts (like getting checked for problems at the doctor).

    • Tertiary: Helping those who are already sick to recover and function as well as they can (like physical therapy).

6.8 Examinations/Screenings

  • Regular checks include:

    • Visiting the doctor for body check-ups,

    • Going to the dentist,

    • Checking for diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure,

    • Other important tests such as skin checks for cancer, checking eyesight, and hearing checks.

6.9 Understanding Disease

  • Definitions:

    • Illness: Feeling unwell for a short time—it usually doesn’t last long.

    • Disease: Longer lasting problems with our body or mind that can be really painful or distressing.

  • Acute vs. Chronic Disease:

    • Acute diseases are short-term (like a cold), while chronic diseases last a long time (like asthma) and often can’t be completely cured.

  • Psychosocial Aspects:

    • How we feel emotionally about our health matters too. Sometimes, people may feel sad, anxious, or in denial about their health issues.

6.10 Healthy People 2030

  • Overview:

    • A big plan to help everyone in the U.S. be healthier over a ten-year period.

  • Focus Areas:

    • Helping people learn about their health, education about health issues, and understanding what things in society influence health (like access to health care).

  • Goals:

    • Make it easier for everyone to live long and healthy lives, addressing serious health issues, and getting communities involved in health improvement.

6.11 Nursing Interventions

  • Risk Factor Examination:

    • Health workers check for risks to help take care of patients.

  • Behavior Change Strategies:

    • Helping people understand what stops them from being healthier and encouraging them to make healthy changes.

  • Education:

    • Teach the importance of taking care of oneself through rest, exercise, and protecting skin from the sun, plus knowing when to seek medical help.