This document discusses the health-illness continuum, which illustrates that an individual's health state is continually changing as they move between health and illness. It defines key terms like health, illness, and wellness. The health-illness continuum is a graphic representation showing that treatment can alleviate symptoms and move a person to a neutral point, while wellness aims to maximize their health and available energy. Determinants of health include physical, social, economic, and environmental factors. The nurse's role involves determining a client's position on the continuum and recognizing risk factors in order to prevent illness through awareness and education.