Question

Research the health-illness continuum and its relevance to patient care. In a 750-1,000 word paper, discuss the relevance of the continuum to patient care and present a perspective of your current state of health in relation to the wellness spectrum. Include the following:

1. Examine the health-illness continuum and discuss why this perspective is important to consider in relation to health and the human experience when caring for patients.
2. Reflect on your overall state of health. Discuss what behaviors support or detract from your health and well-being. Explain where you currently fall on the health-illness continuum.
3. Discuss the options and resources available to you to help you move toward wellness on the health-illness spectrum. Describe how these would assist in moving you toward wellness (managing a chronic disease, recovering from an illness, self-actualization, etc.).

Answer 1

Health illness continuum is a representation of health in a two opposite direction one towards health and other towards the death.It is important to know the state of individual in the continuum scale.In the scale a neutral point is present it indicates that the individual  is healthy.This scale helps to find the state of individual and helps him bring back to the neutral position.When caring for the patients it has relation with health and human experience.consider a client having blood pressure in pre -hypertensive condition so in the scale he is little away from the neutral point.so by the health education about preventive strategies about hypertension through the health worker helps to bring back to the neutral point.Here human experience is by the education by health workers.consider the same client but not get health education.Instead his peers orient him to ill health habits such as smoking,alcoholism and having junk foods.so his health gets further deteriorated and he is getting away from the neutral point.so in care of patient health and human relation is important. Thus these two have relation to patient care.

Health means not just absence of disease .It not just defining physical health but being healthy in aspects that is physically,mentally,emotionally.It defines holistic wellness of the client.If a person is physically fit but he is suffering from mild depression denotes that individual is not healthy because it not just the view of physical health.

Behaviors that support the health are health education,conducting awareness program,demonstrating the healthy habits and training programs.Behaviors that detract from health are not participating in the healthy habits that is health education,participating in awareness program and training programs.Instead they involve in ill healthy habits such as smoking,alcoholism,physically inactive and having junk foods.These are some of the common habits of the individual that detract health.currently in the neutral point.Still having no health issues so no change in the neutral point.

Nowadays many resources available for health promotion.Resources such as health fitness applications are available.Obesity is the major cause for all chronic diseases nowadays.Obesity is the cause for two main important chronic disease that is hypertension and diabetes mellitus .To avoid obesity and to prevent it we have more health fitness apps which helps to reduce weight and stay healthy.In internet can find online doctors and other health workers that is through tele-medicine can promote health.Self monitoring of health is possible through the self checking of blood sugar level and blood pressure.An individual who is engaging in these above mentioned activities can manage their chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.if he is suffering from mild depression by engaging in health promotion activities can helps to recover from illness.Thus in health promotion activity the individual participation gives him self-actualization in his own health promotion.