Concepts of Health and Disease

Study Notes

Objectives: Students will be able to describe health, illness, and disease concepts. They will also discuss how social behavior affects health and disease.

Disease: A medical condition marked by pathological abnormality, indicated by signs and symptoms. Recovery is often difficult and chronic. Examples include diabetes mellitus (DM) and myocardial infarction (MI).
Illness: Primarily a person's feeling of pain, discomfort, and similar sensations. It's possible to feel ill without having a disease, or to have a disease without feeling ill. Examples reflect easily treated/recoverable conditions like the flu. A prognosis is part of the medical definition too.

Acute Disease: Illnesses striking suddenly, leading to significant incapacitation or sometimes death. Short duration. Examples include the common cold (OM) and appendicitis.
Chronic Disease: Long-term or lifelong illnesses developing gradually (or present from birth,]). Chronic disease treatments are typically more expensive due to the duration of the condition. Examples include diabetes mellitus (DM) and myocardial infarction (MI).

Complete Well-being: Physical, mental, and social well-being
Maintaining Normal Roles: Ability to maintain normal roles as a function of a healthy lifestyle.
Adapting to Environment: Process of adapting to physical and social environments
Striving for Wellness: Active pursuit of optimal wellness
Individual Definition: Variation in the definition of health across individuals

Lifestyle Changes: Alterations in daily habits, diet, activity, and sleep
Changes in Body Image: Perceptions of one's body size, appearance, and functioning can be affected dramatically. Scarring, loss of body parts and/or crippling.
Changes in Self-Concept: Individuals' thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about their own value and worth are impacted by illness.
Loss of Autonomy: Loss of independence, self-direction, and control over one's life due to illness. This may be related to a disruption in social interactions, financial hardships or other factors
Financial Demands: Economic strain associated with illness
Nature, Severity, and Duration: The type, intensity, and length of an illness will hugely impact the client

Illness Involvement: Illness affects not just the individual, but also family members and significant others
Family Member Illness: The health of the ill family member greatly impacts all aspects of family functioning:
Severity and Length of Illness: The seriousness and duration of illness influence the level of family impact and resource demands.
Cultural and Social Customs: Family's traditions and societal norms affect how illness is handled and coping mechanisms utilized

Role Changes: Shifting responsibilities and expectations within the family dynamic.
Increased Time Demands: Family members often invest increased time and energy in caring for the ill person.
Anxiety About Outcomes: Concerns regarding the future health and well-being of the ill family member.
Conflict About Responsibilities: Potential conflicts between family members regarding tasks and caretaking responsibilities.
Financial Problems: Strain on family finances.
Loneliness: Emotional isolation due to the circumstances.
Change in Social Customs: Adjustment to new norms and customs.

Explanations about Adjustments: Providing clear information about necessary adjustments for the illness.
Lifestyle Accommodations: Helping to create the best possible lifestyle arrangement for the patient and family.
Health Professional Awareness: Ensuring other health professionals are aware of changes and providing support.
Reinforcing Positive Change: Promoting appropriate behaviors relating to successful recovery

Well-being: Subjective experience of a good and satisfactory existence; personal abilities, harmony, and vitality.
Wellness: Active, seven-dimensional process of awareness, choice-making towards a higher level of well-being.

Physical: Ability to carry out daily tasks, maintain fitness, nutrition, and avoid substance abuse.
Social: Effective interaction with people and the environment, developing intimacy, tolerance for differing opinions.
Intellectual: Learning, using information, engaging in continuous growth.
Emotional: Managing stress, expressing emotions appropriately.
Environmental: Promoting health by improving standards of living and quality of life
Occupational: Achieving balance between work and leisure, satisfaction with work, contributing to illness outcomes.
Spiritual: Belief in higher power or purpose, moral values and ethics.