Human Experience Across the Health-Illness Continuum
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:
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.
Explain how understanding the health-illness continuum enables you, as a health care provider, to better promote the value and dignity of individuals or groups and to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing.
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.
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.).
You are required to cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required, must include the thesis and conclusion.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
Sample Paper
Human Experience across the Health-Illness Continuum
The word continuum means something that will change gradually without any clear points. Considering that health is a variable component that will change from time to time to adjust to internal and external variables, health can be defined as a form of a continuum (Henly et al., 2018). One of the most influential models that have been utilized to explain health and illness in contemporary times is the health-illness continuum which John W Travis first proposed. Therefore, the health-illness continuum is a graphic representation of the wellness of an individual. Relying on the health-illness continuum, a person is not considered healthy based on only the absence of diseases but also on their emotional and mental wellness (Henly et al., 2018). This paper aims to research the health illness Continuum and the relevance of this health model to patient care.
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
Considering the health-illness continuum, the right side indicates a high level of wellness, evidenced by the achievement of optimum health. On the other hand, the left side of the health-illness continuum indicates premature death (Henly et al., 2018). For an individual to move towards optimum health, they require awareness of their health status, education, and growth. On the other hand, for an individual to move towards premature death, they might experience signs, symptoms, and disability (Santoro Lamelas, 2016). According to the health-illness continuum, physical treatment and medicine can only help move an individual to a neutral point where there are no physical signs of illness. However, individuals must endeavor to move from a neutral point that includes a state of no physical disease to a high level of wellness defined by optimum health (Santoro Lamelas, 2016). Therefore, individuals must pass through three significant changes, including awareness, education, and growth, to obtain optimum health. The health-illness continuum is essential to consider in relation to the human experience and health, especially when caring for patients. This is because nurses can rely on the health-illness continuum to effectively determine a patient’s health stage and position at the health illnesses model (Ali et al., 2018). Healthcare practitioners can leverage different practices such as patient education to help patients move towards optimum health. Relying on the health-illness continuum can also help nurses effectively recognize the risk factors that contribute to the degradation of a patient’s health, including health behaviors, environment, or genetics. Relying on the health-illness continuum, healthcare givers can be able to help prevent illnesses through education and raising awareness among patients (Ali et al., 2018).
Explain how understanding the health-illness continuum enables you, as a health care provider, to better promote the value and dignity of individuals or groups and to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing
Understanding the health-illness continuum allows a healthcare provider to promote the value and dignity of groups or individuals because healthcare providers can realize that health is not a static state but a variable component that will change from time to time so as to adjust to internal and external variables. By understanding the health-illness continuum, healthcare practitioners can therefore be able to clearly understand the factors that contribute to the health of their patients and factors that undermine such health. Relying on the health-illness continuum, healthcare practitioners can therefore promote dignity and value among the patients by raising such patients’ self-awareness and pointing such patients towards strategies they can utilize to pursue optimum health (Henly et al., 2018).
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
Currently, there are numerous behaviors that support my health and well-being, which include exercising at least three times every week and being involved in meditation. Physical activities and meditation promote my physical and mental health and allow me to prevent lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. On the other hand, I also have negative behaviors that detract me from health and well-being, which include the consumption of fast foods and regular snacking. Consuming fast foods and regular snacking contributes to the intake of high sugar, salt, and fat in my diet which can contribute to the onset of lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Considering my health behaviors and profession as a health caregiver, I think I fall in the growth stage of the health-illness continuum. This is because I’m aware of and have adequate education on how to improve my health. However, I need to progress and implement the knowledge and awareness I have to attain high levels of wellness.
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.).
Currently, the resources that are available to assist me in moving towards wellness on the health-illness spectrum include walkways, parks, gyms, and grocery shops. Relying on such facilities can help me be involved in more physical activities to improve my health. Having access to grocery shops can also help me to modify my diet to healthier options such as fruits and vegetables, which can significantly enhance my health and well-being. Being consistently involved in physical activity and taking a healthy diet can help me avoid chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even some forms of cancer. Being healthy and more physically fit can also help me to move towards my goal of a high level of wellness and therefore achieve self-actualization.
Conclusion
In summary, understanding the health-illness continuum allows a healthcare provider to promote the value and dignity of groups or individuals because healthcare providers can realize that health is not a static state but a variable component that will change from time to time so as to adjust to internal and external variables. By understanding the health-illness continuum, healthcare practitioners can therefore be able to clearly understand the factors that contribute to the health of their patients and factors that undermine such health.
References
Ali, T., Hussain, M., Afzal, M., Khan, W. A., Hur, T., Amin, M. B., Kim, D., Kang, B. H., & Lee, S. (2018). Clinically Harmonized Wellness Concepts Model for Health and Wellness Services. IEEE Access, 6, 26660–26674. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2018.2834391
Henly, S. J., Wyman, J. F., & Findorff, M. J. (2018). Health and Illness Over Time. Nursing Research, 60(Supplement), S5–S14. https://doi.org/10.1097/nnr.0b013e318216dfd3
Santoro Lamelas, V. (2016). Public health in the health-disease continuum: an analysis from a professional perspective. Revista de Salud Pública, 18(4), 530. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v18n4.47854
