Health and Disease Concepts - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Concepts of Health and Disease

• Health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948.
• Healthy People 2030 focuses on social determinants of health: Economic Stability, Education Access and Quality, Healthcare Access and Quality, Neighborhood and Built Environment, and Social and Community Context.
• Pathophysiology studies how the body responds to dysfunction or disease, including the body's response to events like cessation, interruption, or disorder of a body system or organ.
• Aspects of the disease process and etiologic factors, including causes and risk factors, are crucial to understanding diseases.

Pathophysiology

• Physiology studies the function of the body.
• Pathophysiology studies the body's response to dysfunction or disease.
• Disease is defined as an interruption, cessation, or disorder of a body system or organ structure
• Key components of pathophysiology include: Etiology, pathogenesis, morphologic changes, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, clinical course.

Aspects of the Disease Process

• This section delves into the different aspects of the progression and outcomes of diseases.

Etiologic Factors / Causes of Disease/Risk Factors

• This section deals with the causes and risk factors involved in the development of diseases.
• Biological agents (e.g., bacteria, viruses)
• Physical forces (e.g., trauma, burns)
• Chemical agents (e.g., poisons, alcohol)
• Nutritional excesses or deficits among others

How the History & Physical and Clinical Manifestations Inform the Nurse

• Information regarding disease diagnosis is crucial for nurses.
• Diagnostic tests results (normal or abnormal) are important to inform the diagnosis.
• Examples of diagnostic tests include serum sodium levels (normal range 135-145 mEq; Hypernatremia is above 150 mEq; Hyponatremia is below 130 mEq).

Disease Diagnosis and Predictive Factors

• Disease Diagnosis and Predictive Factors are important to understanding the development, outcome, and further treatment of a disease.

Clinical Course and Predictive Factors

• Clinical Course and Predictive Factors are very important in understanding diseases and their potential outcomes, and predict their development.

Natural History of a Disease

• The natural history of a disease describes the progression and projected outcome without medical intervention.
• This can be used to predict outcomes and assist in treatment decisions.

Preventing Disease

• Disease prevention can be categorized into three levels:
  • Primary prevention: Removing risk factors to prevent disease from occurring (e.g., immunizations, folic acid for pregnant women).
  • Secondary prevention: Detecting disease early when it is still asymptomatic (e.g., colonoscopies, pap smears).
  • Tertiary prevention: Reducing complications and improving outcomes of the disease (e.g., beta-blockers after a heart attack).

Evidence-Based Practice and Guidelines

• Evidence-based practice in healthcare relies on scientific data.
• Clinical guidelines are derived from this data and are used to inform practice decisions.
• This includes algorithms, written directives, and clinical experience.