Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life

Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life

• Health is complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease.
• Wellness is the active pursuit of optimal health, encompassing physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and social well-being.
• Quality of life includes overall life satisfaction, health status, economic stability, and personal fulfillment.

Social Ecological Model (SEM) and Applications

• The SEM considers multiple levels influencing health behaviors.
  • Individual (knowledge, attitudes, behaviors)
  • Interpersonal (relationships, family, social networks)
  • Community (schools, workplaces, neighborhoods)
  • Organizational (policies within institutions)
  • Policy (laws, regulations)
• Applications include obesity prevention, smoking cessation, and violence reduction.

Health Promotion vs. Health Education

• Health Promotion is a broad approach improving health through policy, environment, and education.
• Health Education focuses on knowledge dissemination to encourage healthier behaviors.

Interprofessionality and Multidisciplinary Approach

• Interprofessionality is collaboration among healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, social workers) for integrated care.
• A multidisciplinary approach involves various fields (epidemiologists, policymakers, community workers) working together on health issues.

Public Health Model vs. Medical Model

• The Public Health Model focuses on prevention, population health, and social determinants.
• The Medical Model focuses on treating individuals through diagnosis and intervention.

Community Capacity and Related Concepts

• Community Capacity is the ability of communities to address health issues.
• Social Connectedness is the strength of relationships and sense of belonging.
• Community Empowerment increases community control over health determinants.

Incidence and Prevalence

• Incidence is the number of new cases in a population over time (cohort studies).
• Prevalence is the total number of existing cases at a specific time (cross-sectional studies).

Morbidity and Mortality

• Morbidity is the presence of disease in a population.
  • Measured by incidence rate and prevalence rate.
• Mortality are death rates in a population.
  • Measured by crude mortality rate, age-adjusted mortality rate, and cause-specific mortality rate.

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)

• SDOH are non-medical factors influencing health outcomes.
  • Economic stability (income, employment)
  • Education (literacy, schooling)
  • Health care access (availability of services)
  • Neighborhood environment (housing, safety)
  • Social context (discrimination, social cohesion)

Types of Prevention

• Primary Prevention prevents disease (vaccines, health education).
• Secondary Prevention detects and intervenes early (screenings, mammograms).
• Tertiary Prevention reduces disease complications (rehabilitation, diabetes management).

Primary and Secondary Data

• Primary Data is collected firsthand (surveys, interviews).
• Secondary Data is pre-existing data (census reports, hospital records).

Health Disparities and Health Equity

• Health disparities are differences in health outcomes due to disadvantages.
• Health Equity ensures fair access to health opportunities.

Epidemiological Triangle

• The Epidemiological Triangle explains disease causes.
  • Agent (pathogen/disease-causing factor)
  • Host (organism affected)
  • Environment (external factors influencing disease spread)

Characteristics of Pathogens

• Virulence: Severity of disease caused.
• Infectivity: Ability to infect a host.
• Pathogenicity: Ability to cause disease.
• Transmission mode (e.g., airborne, vector-borne).

Immunity and Herd Immunity

• Immunity is the body's ability to resist infection.
• Herd Immunity protects non-immune individuals when a high percentage is immune.

Leading Causes of Death

• Global: Heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections.
• U.S.: Heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries.

Health Literacy

• Health literacy is the ability to use health information for decisions.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• A model of human motivation.
  • Physiological needs (food, water)
  • Safety needs (security, health)
  • Love and belonging (relationships)
  • Esteem needs (recognition, respect)
  • Self-actualization (achieving potential)

Four Types of Epidemiological Studies

• Descriptive (e.g., case reports, cross-sectional studies).
• Analytical (e.g., cohort, case-control studies).
• Experimental (e.g., clinical trials).
• Ecological (examining population-level factors).