Chapter 1: Concepts of Health and Wellbeing Flashcards
What is health?
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
What is health and wellbeing?
- Includes health outcomes and is characterised by an equilibrium where one feels happy, healthy, capable and engaged
- Includes all 5 dimensions of health.
What is an illness?
Concept that relates to negative aspects of health and wellbeing
What is a disease
Physical/mental disturbance and is diagnosed by professional
- Involves symptoms, dysfunction of tissue damage
What is the difference between disease and infirmity?
Disease:
- Physical/mental disturbance & diagnosed by professional
- Actual condition
Illness:
- one’s own perception of feelings
- Like self-diagnosed
What is infirmity?
- Quality/state of being weak/ill
- Often associated with old age
What does it mean when it says H+W is dynamic?
E.g?
- Constantly changing
- E.g. One can be happy and socialising but may change the next week due to friend leaving school, thus causing a change in dynamic
Why is H+W subjective?
- H+W influenced by/based on personal beliefs, feelings or opinions
- Everyone view it differently
What are some factors that could influence one’s H+W
- Age
- Fitness
- Body
- Social networks
- Income
- Education
E.g of H+W being subjective
Elderly person may view H+W as good if able to live independently and look after themselves
What is a chronic condition?
- Any disease or condition that lasts a long time (usually > 6 months)
- Usually cannot be cured, thus require ongoing treatment
What are the 5 dimensions of H+W?
- Physical
- Mental
- Emotional
- Social
- Spiritual
What is Physical H+W
- Relates to efficient functioning of the body and its systems
- Includes physical capacity to perform daily tasks
E.g of optimal physical H+W?
- Adequate energy levels
- Ability to complete physical tasks adequately
- Strong immune system
- Freedom from illness, disease and injury
What is Mental H+W
- State of one’s mind or brain that relates to the ability to think and process information
E.g of Optimal Mental H+W
- Use logic and reasoning to form opinions and make decisions
- Positive thought patterns (optimistic)
- Positive self-esteem
- Low levels of stress and anxiety
What is Emotional H+W
- Ability to express emotions and feelings in a positive way
E.g of Optimal Emotional H+W
- High levels of resilience
- Recognise and understand range of emotions
- Effectively respond to and manage emotions
- Feel emotionally secure and relaxed
What is Social H+W
Ability to form meaningful relationships with others and manage/adapt to different social situations appropriately
E.g of optimal social H+W
- Supportive network of friends and family
- Effective communication with others
- Personal accountability
What is Spiritual H+W
- Relates to ideas, beliefs, values and ethics that arise in the minds and conscience of human beings.
- Includes concepts of hope, peace sense of meaning/value and having own place in the world
E.g of optimal Spiritual H+W
- Sense of belonging to world
- Positive meaning and purpose in life
- Acting according to values and beliefs
Difference between spirituality and religion
Religion:
- Structured and organised form of spirituality
Spirituality:
- No connection to organised religion
Link between spiritual h+w and physical and emotional h+w
If someone was experiencing optimal spiritual h+w they may be seen to have well defined values and beliefs along with a strong sense of purpose. A strong sense of purpose may allow a person to take more care of himself or herself, which could promote a healthy body weight (physical h+w). A person with well defined values and beliefs may have the confidence within themselves to express a range of emotions and also feel comfortable with the range of emotions that they experience over their lifetime (emotional h+w).
E.g of how 5 dimensions of H+W can influence each other
- Physical and Mental
Stress can lower immune system function, thus increase risk of infectious disease
E.g of how 5 dimensions of H+W can influence each other
- Mental and Spiritual
- Believing that life has a positive meaning and purpose can enhance self-esteem and optimism
E.g of how 5 dimensions of H+W can influence each other
- Social and Emotional
When one able to express emotions and share feelings with friends, can promote more meaningful relationships
What is Optimal H+W
- State when all 5 dimensions of H+W are at its peak
- Highest level of H+W one can realistically attain at a particular time.
How does Optimal H+W benefit an individual?
- Increases ability for one to live free from pain and concentrate on activities that improve their lives such as working, socialising
- Decreases stress and anxiety and promotes positive emotions such as happiness
- Reduces healthcare costs, thus increase amount of money to spend on others e.g education, food, housing
List of e.g
- Work productively
- Live independently
- Gain an education
- Earn an income
E.g Optimal H+W benefit an individual
Being free from disease and illness (physical H+W) –> able to work and thus enhance purpose in life (Spiritual H+W)
Benefits of Optimal H+W Nationally
- Higher average income
- Reduced healthcare costs
- Reduce risk of premature death and development of illness and disease (enhance mental h+w as less loved ones dying)
- Increase productivity: more likely to engage with job and work to their best –> increase economy through higher taxation revenue –>less people rely on social security due to reduced unemployment
Benefit of H+W Globally
- Reduce risk of infectious or communicable diseases spreading between countries
- Promote sustainability: gov generate more tax revenue –> used to promote sustainable energy, water
Benefit of H+W Globally
- Peace and Security
- Contribute to world peace and security: Healthy –> More productive –> increased access to resources (education, food, employment) for decent standard of living
- Unhealthy –> resort to extreme measures to access resources to ensure survival –> conflict national/international
What are Prerequisites for Health?
- Acronym
People
Should
Eat
Food
Including
Some
Sustainable
Salad
Everyday
What are Prerequisites for Health?
- Peace
- Shelter
- Education
- Food
- Income
- Stable ecosystem
- Sustainable resources
- Social resources
- Equity
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Peace
- Absence of conflict from war
- Decrease risk of premature death, serious injury, disability (Physical H+W)
- Decrease risk of injury, decrease stress and anxiety (Mental H+W)
- Preserves infrastructure such as schools, healthcare systems, etc
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Shelter
- Provides protection from outside environment
- Promote adequate sleep –> increase one’s ability to join in activities e.g socialising (Social H+W)
- Promote feelings of privacy, safety and security –> reduce stress and anxiety (Mental H+W)
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Education
- Increase ability to earn an income –> able to afford resources e.g food, shelter, healthcare
- Promote literacy: more likely to join in activities and maintain social connections (Social H+W)
- increase employment –> higher income –> higher confidence
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Food
- Increases ability to consume required nutrients –>increase immune system –> adequate energy levels (Physical H+W)
- Food security: spend less time looking for food –> decrease stress as know food available (Mental H+W)
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Income
- Increase ability to afford resources e.g healthcare, transport, education
- Able to more easily afford healthcare e.g surgery, immunisation (Physical H+W)
- Able to enjoy leisure activities –> reduce stress and anxiety (Mental H+W) –> more choices to join social activities (Social H+W)
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Stable Ecosystem (and what happens if unstable ecosystem)
- When balance achieved between environment and species that live in environment
- More resources available for human use and can regenerate as quickly as being used.
Unbalanced ecosystem: resources used faster than can regenerate –> less available for consumption
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Sustainable resources
- Meeting needs of present without impacting ability of future generations to meet own needs
- Sustainable use of land and water required for ongoing food and water supply –> prevent disease (Physical H+W)
- Ensuring that the resources used to promote h+w in present are available for future generations, thus able to experience good quality life
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Social justice
- Equal rights for all regardless of personal traits e.g sexuality, class, income, ethnicity, etc
- People have same access to resources and opportunities e.g education, healthcare, employment
Prerequisites for Health and Effects on 5 dimensions
- Equity
- Fairness particularly to those disadvantaged to improve quality of life and achieve minimum standards of living
