Concept of Health & Illness Dimensions of Health Models of Health & Illness Health Illness Continuum

1. 1. HEALTH & ILLNESS
• Definition/ Concept of Health & Illness
• Dimensions of Health
• Models of Health & Illness
• Health Illness Continuum
Nirmala Roberts
India

2. What we shall learn today…
Definition & concept of Health
Meaning of wellness, illness and disease
Models of Health & Illness
The Agent-Host-Environment model
The Health-Illness continuum

3. Terminologies
Well being
Static & dynamic
Environment –
Internal & external
Risk factor
Agent-Host-
Environment
Premature
Stimulus &
response
Perception
Pathology
Vital
Genetic inheritance
Continuum

4. What is Health?
Individually defined by each person according
to –
How they feel
Absence or presence of symptoms of illness
Ability to carry out activities

5. Definitions of Health
Health- A state of complete physical, mental
and social well being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity
- (WHO – 1948)
A dynamic state, in which the individual
adapts to changes in internal and external
environments to maintain a state of well
being
- (Potter & Perry – 2014)

6. Health is a multidimensional concept
Health
Environment
Social
Emotional
Physical Spiritual
Intellectual
Occupational

7. Health is multidimensional
(The Wellness Wheel)

8. Definitions…
Wellness - An active state, oriented toward maximizing the
potential of the individual. A state of living a healthy lifestyle
Illness - Response of a person to disease, which is based on the
person’s perception ( a subjective feeling) ….SYMPTOM
May or may not be related to disease
Disease - A pathologic change in structure and/ or function of
the body and miind…..SIGN

9. Health & Illness are..
Not static conditions
Vital concepts
Subject to continuous evaluation and change

10. MODELS OF HEALTH &
ILLNESS

11. 1. The Agent-Host-Environment model
The 3 interact in ways that create risk factors

12. When Agent, Host and Environment are in balance,
HEALTH is maintained…else, disease occurs!
At
Equilibrium
Agents
Biological, Nutrient, Physical,
Chemical, Mechanical
Human Host
Age, Sex, Race, Genetic
factors, Personality
Environment
Physical,
social,
Economic,
Biological
LEVER

13. Agent, Host, Environment

14. 2. The Health-Illness Continuum
Optimum
wellness
Death

15. The health illness continuum
A graphic illustration of a well being concept proposed
by John W Travis in 1972.
It describes –
Wellbeing is more than simply an absence of illness
It incorporates the individuals mental and emotional health.
No signs or symptoms of disease does not mean that person is
well

16. Wellness model
The Health-illness Continuum
Health is a constantly changing state with high
level wellness and death on opposite ends
Growth
Education
Awareness
Signs
Symptoms
Disability High
level
wellness
Premature
death
Treatment model
Neutral point

17. The Health-Illness Continuum
Health and illness are viewed as opposite ends of a health
continuum
A person’s condition can move from a high level of health
through good health…normal…poor …extremely poor
health…to premature death
People move back and forth within this continuum day by
day
Their placement on the continuum is affected by how they
perceive themselves and how others see them in terms of
health and illness

18. Movement to the right side arrows  > in level of
health and wellbeing
Achieved in three steps -
Awareness
Education
Growth

19. Movement to the left side arrows  a progressively
decreasing state of health.
Achieved in three steps -
Signs
Symptoms
Disability

20. Most important is the direction taken by the
individual
If towards high level of health, a person has genuinely
optimistic or positive out look despite his/ her health
status.
If towards premature death, a person has a genuinely
pessimistic or negative out look about his or her health
status.

21. Treatment model Vs Wellness model
Treatment model – The individual moves to right only to the
neutral point
Eg: A hypertensive client takes medications without making any other
life style changes
Wellness model – The individual moves right beyond the
neutral point
Eg :A hypertensive client takes medications. Also stops smoking, loses
weight, starts exercise programme.

22. Health- illness continuum
Health –A dynamic state that fluctuates as a person
adapts to changes in the internal and external
environments to maintain a state of well being
Health and illness –
Are relative concepts (not separate absolutes)
Has two ends as a graduated scale
Health- illness continuum -
Is used to describe the cause of illness
Helps identify risk factors that result from Agent-Host-
Environment

23. Nurse’s responsibilities
Determine level of health on the health-illness continuum
Help identify the client’s position on the continuum
Set a goal for optimal health
Assist the clients to adopt measures to reach a well state of
health

25. Questions….questions..
What is Health?
Difference between Disease and Illness
State the dimensions of Health
Explain the Agent-Host-Environment model of
health
Explain the Health-illness continuum