As a dynamic state, a human’s health reflects the ability of an individual to adapt to various changes in internal and external environments. For health care providers, it is important to evaluate the state of patients’ health to guarantee effective medical services. The health-illness continuum is a scale, which can be used for describing health status. This paper aims to discuss the relation of this model to health care practices and define the ways to move towards wellness.
Health and illness can be presented as two states located at the opposite extreme ends of one scale. The health-illness continuum is based on this idea and is a visual representation of a patient’s health. This model was created in 1972 by Travis and is still widely used nowadays (Hinkle & Cheever, 2018). It is relevant and significant to patient care since it allows evaluating people’s state of health by defining their position on the scale. Moreover, a patient’s movement towards the extreme ends of the continuum shows the effectiveness of treatment or worsening health (“Health promotion and disease prevention: NCLEX-RN,” 2020). Therefore, the health-illness continuum helps assess patients’ well-being and the need for medical interventions.
An individual’s position along the health-illness continuum can be influenced by different factors, including the internal and external environment. The balance of these aspects is essential for ensuring and maintaining patients’ well-being, and nurses’ responsibility is to pay attention to the interconnections between them (Cooper & Gosnell, 2018). For example, even if the person shows no physical symptoms of the disease, family relationships and emotional stressors may negatively influence the patient’s state. The value of individuals can be promoted by ensuring their comfortable physical and emotional conditions. Considering ethnic, cultural, and economic influences is closely connected to people’s dignity. Finally, patients’ overall flourishing can be promoted through the holistic health care approach, which includes meeting patients’ physical, emotional, spiritual, and other needs (Cooper & Gosnell, 2018). Therefore, the health-illness continuum allows identifying what is needed to promote the value, dignity, and flourishing of patients and helping them move towards wellness.
It is also possible to demonstrate the significance of the health-illness continuum on the personal example. I am a college student; due to my young age and a lack of chronic diseases, I can describe the state of my health as mostly good. My social environment and family relationships ensure my positive emotional state, although sometimes I experience stress, fatigue, and anxiety. At the same time, a sedentary lifestyle and a lack of physical exercise negatively influence my immune system. I am vulnerable to seasonal diseases and viruses; for example, I have flu almost every autumn. Moreover, my health behavior includes occasional unhealthy eating and consuming an insufficient amount of vitamins. Therefore, my health condition cannot be considered optimal and requires improvements.
In order to move towards wellness on the health-illness continuum, I need to evaluate my physical and emotional state. Since I do not have any chronic diseases, I can focus on improving my general well-being and maintaining immunity. Regular exercising, such as jogging or swimming, can positively influence my strength and stamina. Moreover, a healthy diet, including fresh fruits and vegetables and a reduced amount of carbohydrates, can enrich my body with vitamins and nutrients (“Health promotion and disease prevention: NCLEX-RN,” 2020). As for my emotional state, I need to avoid possible stressors and ensure sufficient rest to reduce fatigue. Therefore, my movement towards the positive extreme of well-being is mostly associated with preventive practices.
In conclusion, it is fair to say that the health-illness continuum is a clear and concise visual representation of health as a dynamic system. The model is significant for patient care since it allows evaluating people’s health condition and ensuring the promotion of their value, dignity, and flourishing. Moreover, the health-illness continuum can help every individual assess their well-being and define if any aspects of their health need improvements.
References
Cooper, K., & Gosnell, K. (2018). Foundations of nursing (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Health Sciences. Web.
Health promotion and disease prevention: NCLEX-RN. (2020). Web.
Hinkle, J.L., & Cheever, K.H. (Eds.). (2018). Brunner and Suddarth’s textbook of medical-surgical nursing. New Delhi, India: Wolters Kluwer. Web.