HSCI 1130 - Lecture 2 (Health, Illness, Disease and Wellness) PDF

Lecture 2 Health, Illness, Disease and Wellness Land Acknowledgment Heal-all (Self heal) Scientific Name: Prunella Vulgaris Langara is on unceded Heal all was often brewed into a Traditional Coast therapeutic...

Lecture 2 Health, Illness, Disease and Wellness Land Acknowledgment Heal-all (Self heal) Scientific Name: Prunella Vulgaris Langara is on unceded Heal all was often brewed into a Traditional Coast therapeutic tea to treat sore throats, Salish lands of the stomach aches, urinary and liver xʷməθkʷəy̓əm problems. Heal all is also used to (Musqueam) First help calm people having fits. Nation Moreover, heal-all was used as a natural pesticide among the First (6) Nations. Learning Objectives Understand the concepts of health, illness, disease and wellness Describe the sick role theory Describe WHO's definition of health and critique it Describe how health and wellness are different Understand how health is socially constructed Warm-up When was the last time you had a cold? What is your sick routine? Discuss with people near you. Introduce yourself if you don’t know the person next to you Important Terms Health Illness Wellness Disease Acute Chronic Mental Sickness Sick role Health consciousness Socially constructed How we value Health Hi, how are you doing Health Conscious Defined as the degree to which an individual is aware of and attentive to health. (1) Is it possible to be too health conscious? Too much information available for us? The Internet and Health Conscioussness The internet helps us learn about our health… (2)  Top WebMD searches from 2011 (1,2) How do we define these terms? illness Sickness Disease Wellness Health Aren't they all connected? Can we define them? Health Wellness Sickness illness Disease Sickness Sickness can include both the presence of disease and the experience of illness. (1) However, sickness doesn’t always mean our ailment is stemming from a disease Departing from a state of physiological well-being whether due to disease, injury, or impairment. (1) Sickness is very similar to illness, but sickness is accepted by society Example: when you don’t feel well you probably use The word sickness Sick role theory a concept in medical sociology created by Talcott Parsons in 1951 that states that someone suffering from sickness has their own set of rights and responsibilities. (1) Sick role responsibilities: 1. The person is not responsible for assuming the sick role. 2. The sick person is exempted from carrying out some or all of normal social duties (e.g. work, family). 3. The sick person must try and get well – the sick role is only a temporary phase. 4. In order to get well, the sick person needs to seek and submit to appropriate medical care. (1) Illness Illness is the patient's experience of ill health, sometimes when no disease can be found. Can accompany disease, but the disease may be undeclared, as in the early stages of cancer or tuberculosis or diabetes. (1) Example: Chronic Pain Disease Close your eyes – What do you picture when you think of a disease  Disease Classification for a disease can change over time Example: Homosexuality How do we define disease? - biological measures of physical state classified by a physician and the medical system (1) Disease Are some diseases created just to make money?? Disease Types Acute Chronic Mental  Acute Disease Classified as : examples influenza or the flu, mild, moderate, severe bronchitis, tonsillitis, sore throat, appendicitis, earaches, organ failure, Characterized by a rapid onset of symptoms Intense but usually goes away in a short period of time Most contagious diseases are acute in nature Often called an infectious or communicable disease Communicable: most acute diseases can easily be contracted even by mere contact with a sufferer. Sometimes they lead to outbreak (1) (7) Chronic Disease Example: Characteristics of a Cancer Chronic disease: Slow onset Usually, non communicable Long progression Treatable but not always curable (4,7) Mental Mental disorders can impact the functioning of a person in society It is more challenging to get help for mental illness/disease as there are often less resouces and more stigma attached to the disease. Treatable but not always curable (4) Classifying Acute, Please discuss with the Chronic and Mental person next to you what each example falls Disease under Example 1 - Jim has Covid-19, they were really sick for a few days with common symptoms. After a week they were no longer testing positive and just had a cough which went away. Example 2 - Bob also caught Covid-19 from Jim. Although Bob is no longer testing positive, he still feels tired and gets headaches often. Now it’s been three months and his doctor has diagnosed him with a condition called long Covid. Example 3 - Frank didn’t go out with Bob and Jim the night they got Covid. He has not wanted to leave the house or socialize with friends. He has experienced this feeling of deep sadness before and use to be on medication for it a few years ago.  How people experience disease or illness Regardless of the specific condition, when disease does occur, people tend to view their health problems from the perspective of their particular social and cultural contexts (1) Example: back problems for an office worker versus someone who does manual labour How people experience a disease can vary among people with the same diagnosis. Example: People with gallstones These factors can also shape how individuals would define the term disease Health - WHO's definition The World Health Organization's claim that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1946)  The Physical The physiological or biological component Involves examining symptoms Involves diagnosing the body to figure out what's wrong Determining this may involve a series of laboratory tests or clinical examinations. One may be certified as healthy if there is no detection of any biological impairment (5) The Social the behavioural aspect of human health. Non-medical factors that influene health Being in the network of social interaction and being able to fulfil social roles and expectations. Ex: contributing in a meaningful way to your family, friends and work life in a way that works for you. Outside factors (5) (8) The Mental The psychological, emotional, and mental status of the individual. How we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. (5) Anything Wrong with this definition? “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1946) Criticisim of WHO's definiiton a state of complete inflexible and unrealistic. physical, mental and social well- Problematic - declares people with disabilities or mental disorders as being, not "ill" merely the absence of disease or infirmity (4) (4)  What about wellness? Wellness is considered a conscious, self -directed and evolving process of achieving full potential. Wellness is multidimensional and holistic, encompassing lifestyle, mental and spiritual well-being, and the environment. Wellness is positive and affirming Every day presents choices as to the extent to which you do what’s best to sustain your physical, mental/emotional, and social well- being, and preserve the balance among these aspects of your health.(4,5) Mental Wellness This is a dynamic state, in which the individual is able to develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships with others, and contribute to their community. (10) Problem with the Bolded statement? (5)  Differences between Health and Wellness Health is a state of being. Health refers to physical, mental, and social well-being; Wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle and quality of life. Wellness aims to enhance well- being and contribute to overall health. (5,10)  Dangers of Wellness Wellness and consumer “ culture Offering wellness through a payment plan Well-being is now a highly valuable and valued commodity in Western consumer culture and is heavily and cleverly marketed— (10) Social Construction of Health What does social construction mean? an idea that has been created and accepted by the people in a society. These ideas can shift in change as society see’s fit. (11) Health is perceived differently by different societies Ex: Australia constructs their idea of health differently than Asia The social meaning of a condition impacts how a person experiences that illness. The ways in which public discourse construct medical knowledge also impacts how society, and the medical institution, treats a particular condition. (11) Case Study: Genital Herpes as an example of social construction of health Context: About 1 in 7 people have genital herpes in Canada The appearance of genital herpes and the social and cultural understandings of genital herpes assume sexual promiscuity, the experience of a diagnosis can be incredibly stigmatizing and shameful. This has led to negative psychological consequences on top of people having the disease. We have socially constructed the disease to have this shame (1,10) What does health mean for you? To understand the concept of health we are going to create our own perfect ideas of health Exercise: Take 10 minutes to create a web of what is important for you to have good health in your daily life. Use pictures to represent what health means to you My Example Last note – Defining Health Health is dynamic and is not an object to be obtained Although “health” "disease" and“illness” are common terms that we use regularly in our daily conversations, we know that it is not safe to assume that their meanings are shared by everyone. (4) Conclusion Health is different for everyone! There is no universal concept - Just look back to our activity Questions? Thank you. Next Class: Social Determinants of Health + Practice reflection References 1. Segal A, Fries CJ. Pursuing Health and Wellness: Healthy Societies, Healthy People. (2nd Edition). [Insert Publisher Location]: Oxford University Press Academic Canada; 2016. 2. WebMD - Better information. Better health. [Internet]. [cited 2023 Sep 6]. Available from: https://www.webmd.com. 3. Chronic illness [Internet]. [cited 2023 Sep 7]. Available from: https://www.apa.org/topics/chronic-illness 4. Amzat J, Razum O. Health, Disease, and Illness as Conceptual Tools. Medical Sociology in Africa. 2014 Feb 28;21–37. 5. Scully JL. What is a disease? EMBO Rep. 2004 Jul;5(7):650–3. 6. What are some medicinal plants in B.C & how they’re used ? - Learning Portal [Internet]. [cited 2023 Sep 8]. Available from: https://learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/playlist/what-are-some-medicinal- plants-in-b-c-how-theyre-used/ 7. Murrow EJ, Oglesby FM. Acute and chronic illness: similarities, differences and challenges. Orthop Nurs. 1996 Sep 1;15(5):47–51.