CHAPTER ONE: understanding health outcomes Flashcards
Concepts of health and wellbeing, and illness |Dimensions of health and wellbeing |Importance of health and wellbeing as a resource |Indicators of health status |Prerequisites for health
optimal health and wellbeing
- the best possible state of an individual’s health and wellbeing for their age
health
- a state of complete physical, social and mental wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity
wellbeing
- a complex combination of all dimensions of health, characterised by an equilibrium in which the individual feels happy, healthy, capable and engaged
illness
- the state of feeling unwell or being in poor health, often due to disease or injury
- can occur due to a specific condition that prevents the body from functioning normally and involves the individual experiencing symptoms that can be described subjectively
dynamic
- constantly changing or moving in response to its environment and experiences
subjective
- influenced by or based on a person’s feelings, opinions and experiences
chronic disease
physical health and wellbeing
- refers to the efficient functioning of the body and its systems
- includes the physical capacity to perform tasks and physical fitness
- examples
- free from illness, disease, injury
- maintaining an ideal body weight
- consuming a balanced diet
- well rested
- having an adequate level of energy
- having a strong immune system
- having well functioning body systems
- being able to perform daily activities effectively
social health and wellbeing
- refers to being able to interact and develop relationships with others in a meaningful way, and participate in the community in a way that adapts or manages different social situations appropriately
- examples
- accepting responsibility for one’s actions
- maintaining a network of supportive friends
- ability to formmeaningful and satisfying relationships
- being a supportive family member
- communicating effectively with others
- being respectful of others in a range of situations or social groups
emotional health and wellbeing
- relates to being able to manage and express feelings in a healthy way, and to display resilience in everyday life
- examples
- expressing emotions in a positive way
- displaying resilience
- feeling relaxed in everyday life
- positively managing emotions
mental health and wellbeing
- refers to the current state of wellbeing of the mind or brain. It also relates to the ability to think and process information in order to positively form opinions and make decisions
- examples
- ability to think and process information
- low levels of stress and anxiety
- positive self esteem
- sense of confidence
- sense of optimism and positive thoughts
- using logic to positively form opinions and mkae decisions
spiritual health and wellbeing
- refers to a phenomenon that is not material in nature. Instead, it belongs to the realm of ideas (in particular, ennobling ideas), beliefs, values and ethics that have arisen in the minds and
consciences of human beings - examples
- living according to ideas, beliefs, values and ethics
- having a sense of hope, peace or meaning/value
- having a purpose in life
- feeling a sense of connection or belonging
- reflecting on one’s place in the world
- identifying with a belief or faith system or practising a religion
individually
importance of health and wellbeing as a resource
- recognises that healthier citizens of a country equate to a more effective workforce, healthier children, fewer births and hence fewer dependants
- increased ability to run a household
- Increased ability to maintain independence
- increased life expectancy
- reduced health care costs
- greater choices
- increased productivity/income
- sense of purpose, fulfilment, success
- spend time with friends/family * More time to attend
school/work - increased energy
- meaningful engagement with community
- increased self-esteem, feeling good about oneself
nationally
importance of health and wellbeing as a resource
- recognises that healthier citizens of a country equate to a more effective workforce, healthier children, fewer births and hence fewer dependants
- healthy populations help to build a productive workforce, increasing national income through taxation
- fewer people relying on social protection
- higher average incomes
- reduced absenteeisms from workplace
- improved life expectancy
- increased economic development
- increased social development
- reduced levels of stress in the community
- reduced burden on the healthcare system, resulting in taxation money being able to be spent elsewhere, such as education, infrastucture
globally
importance of health and wellbeing as a resource
- when populations are experiencing optimal health and wellbeing, they are more likely to experience prosperity, ensuring a decent standard of living
- promotes opportunities for nations, providing stability
and opportunity, securing increased global security and human rights - increased global economic development
- decreased emergence or re-emergence of an infectious disease or other health threat somewhere in the world,
which can cross borders - increased global security/freedom
- increased access jto human rights
- increased global social development
- increased global sustainabilty
health status
- ‘An individual’s or a population’s overall health, taking into account various aspects such as life expectancy, amount of disability and levels of disease risk factors’ (AIHW, 2008).
self-assessed health status
health status indicator
- an overall measure of a population’s health based on a person’s own perceptions of their health
- dependent on an individual’s awareness of all components of their health and provides a broad measure, but may or may not be in line with a health professional’s assessment or an objective health assessment technique
life expectancy
health status indicator
- ‘An indication of how long a person can expect to live; it is the number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age if death rates do not change’ (AIHW, 2008)
- no indication of the quality of life, only its quantity
health-adjusted life expectancy
health status indicator
- measure of burden of disease, based on life expectancy at birth, but including an adjustment for time spent in poor health
- it is the number of years in full health that a person can expect to live based on current rates of ill-health and mortality
- an estimate of the number of healthy years (free from disability or disease) that a person born in a particular year can expect to live based on current trends in death and disease patterns
mortality
health status indicator
- the number of deaths caused by a particular disease, illness
or other environmental factor
infant, under-5 and maternal mortality
health status indicator
- infant mortality → the number of deaths among children aged under one year in a given period
- infant mortality rate → the number of deaths among children aged under one year in a given period, per 1000 live births in the
same period
- under-5 mortality → the number of deaths among children under five years of age
- under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) → the number of deaths of children under five years of age per 1000 live births’ (WHO, 2008)
- widely used indicator of a population’s health status because it is associated with a population’s access to education, level of economic development and availability of health services
- maternal mortality → refers to the number of deaths of women due to pregnancy, childbirth or during the six weeks after the end of pregnancy
morbidity
health status indicator
- the occurrence of disease, illness, disability and injury in a population
- the ill-health in an individual and the levels of ill-health in a population or group
burden of disease
health status indicator
- measure of the impact of diseases and injuries
- specifically, it measures the gap between current health status and an ideal situation where everyone lives to an old age free of disease and disability
- burden of disease is measured in a unit called the DALY
- disability-adjusted life year (DALY) → measure of burden of disease; one DALY equals one year of healthy life lost due to premature death and time lived with illness, disease or injury
**- years of life lost (YLL) **→ the fatal burden of disease of a population, defined as the years of life lost due to death
**- years of life lost due to disability (YLD) **→ the
incidence
health status indicator
- the number or rate of new cases of a particular condition during a specific time.
prevalence
health status indicator
- the number or proportion of cases of a particular disease or condition present in a population at a given time’ (AIHW, 2008).
prerequisites for health
- the fundamental conditions and resources that provide a secure foundation for health and wellbeing, as defined by the WHO
- peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem,
sustainable resources, social justice and equity
peace
health prerequisite
- more than just an absense of war and conflict
- also means access to education, health and essential services,
developing sustainably and protecting the planet’s biodiversity
improved health outcomes linked to peace
- reduced risk of injuries, promoting physical hwb and reducing mortality rates
- reduces stress, promoting mental hwb
- promotes feelings of safety and security, promoting emotional hwb
- increases the likelihood of having access to human rights, making it safer for people to practise their religious beliefes, promoting spiritual hwb
- improves access to infrastructure (such as healthcare services) so that people can access the care they need, reducing burden of disease
shelter
health prerequisite
- a dwelling that provides safety, security and privacy
- means that basic necessities, including food, clothing, healthcare and heating, are also available
improved health outcomes linked to shelter
- provides protection from the environment, such as mosquitoes which transmit malaria - reduces U5MR and increase life expectancy
- provides people with feelings of security and safety and can reduce stress, promoting emotional and mental hwb
- provides a place for people to gather and form relationships, promoting social hwb
- provides a sense of belonging for people, promoting spiritual hwb
- provides a safe place to live and resources such as sanitation, heating and , promoting physcial hwb
education
health prerequisite
- strong association with employment opportunities, level of literacy skills and level of income
- ‘health literacy is described as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions’ (Baker, 2006).
improved health outcomes linked to education
- promotes the importance of prenatal and antenatal care for pregnant women and the positive impact of healthcare for their baby, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates
- increases understanding of concepts such as nutrition, promoting physical hwb
- increases choices and opportunities in life, which can promote a sense of purpose, promoting spiritual hwb
- improves social skills, which can improve relationships, promoting social hwb
- often leads to higher income, which can improve living standards and promote physical hwb
food
health prerequisite
- nutritious food gives the individual the ability to withstand the effects of exposure to illness and injury
- reduces the impact of chronic diseases such as diabetes and infectious diseases such as malaria, and reduce premature mortality and increase life expectancy
- can avoid psychological distress and mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety experienced during food insecurity
improved health outcomes linked to food
- builds strong immune systems to reduce the risk of infectious disease, increasing life expectancy
- provides energy for body functions, promoting physical hwb
- forms part of social celebrations, helping people to
build relationships, promoting social hwb - having access to adequate nutritious food and not worrying about where your next meal will come from reduces stress and anxiety, improving mental hwb
- provides nourishment for pregnant women so they can deliver strong, healthy babies, promoting physical hwb
income
health prerequisite
- ## the higher a person’s income, education or occupation level, the healthier they tend to be (social gradient of health)
improved health outcomes linked to income
- increases access to healthcare needed, reducing the time spent in poor health and increasing life expectancy
- earning an income provides an opportunity to join a club and/or be part of a team, promoting social hwb
- being employed and earning an income increases confidence and optimism, promoting mental hwb
- being able to pay the bills helps people feel more secure and relaxed, promoting emotional hwb
- earning a living and providing for family provides a sense of purpose, promoting spiritual hwb
stable ecosystem
health prerequisite
- refers to achieving a balance between the living (plants, animals, people, microorgansims such as bacteria) and non living (weather, rocks, water, soil) components of an area
- indicates that all living things are having their needs for food, air, water, shelter and reproduction met without causing detrimental effects to the natural environment
improved health outcomes linked to a stable ecosystem
- improves access to food, reducing malnutrition and promoting physical hwb
- helps to provide water and food, which can increase feelings of optimism and promote mental hwb
- provides spaces for leisure (such as bush walking), promoting physical hwb
- improves access to clean water, which can reduce waterborne disease and reduce child mortality rates
- enable natural systems to function, remain diverse and produce what is required for the ecology to remain in balance; maintaining current living practices while also
ensuring these resources will be available for future generations
improved health outcomes linked to sustainable resources
- access to sustainable water supply reduces the risk of waterborne illness, reducing mortality rates.
- ensuring sustainable farming practices helps to provide stable employment, which promotes a sense of purpose and therefore spiritual hwb
- access to sustainable energy, food and water reduces feelings of stress and promotes mental hwb
- access to sustainable food and water helps to reduce the risk of malnutrition and promotes physical hwb
social justice and equity
improved health outcomes linked to social justice
- people who experience social justice are more likely to be optimistic about their future, promoting mental hwb
- social justice improves access to services such as healthcare, which can reduce burden of disease
- social justice helps people to have a better sense of hope in life, increasing spiritual hwb
improved health outcomes linked to equity