Understanding Health and Illness

This article covers concepts of health and wellbeing, principles related to public health together with health prevention, protection and promotion. It also identifies social determinants associated to health and health inequalities, issues that impact health of a person as well as specific health risks.

Understanding Health
and Illness

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
1. What is understanding about concept of health along with wellbeing as well as principles of
public health and health promotion, prevention addition to protection.......................................1
2. Identification of social determinants of health along with inequalities in health....................3
3. What are issues which impact on health or wellbeing of a person..........................................5
4. What are the particular health risks related to case study. What possible advice addition to
support a nurse can give for promoting health and wellbeing.....................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
The term health can be said to a state of complete social, physical and mental wellbeing
with merely absence of any type of infirmity or disease (Hartmann-Kottek, 2022). Likewise,
illness refers to ill health that is identified by an individual themselves as per self-reported
physical or mental symptoms. The case study is based on Karim, who is a 35-year-old man
having origin from Pakistan, has been living in London with family for past 3 years. Since
relocating in UK, the family stayed in various hostels in distinct boroughs. The family depend on
universal credit for supplementing income, no longer afford eating healthy meals and many a
times, depends on take away for convenience as well as affordability. Karim because of the
stress due to inability to provide family, low income, small accommodation and so on, started
drinking heavily. Because of this, Karim experienced low mood, changes in behaviour, gained
weight significantly, starts to snore and various other disease, including high blood pressure as
well as high cholesterol.
The summative assessment covers concepts of health and wellbeing, principles related to
public health together with health prevention, protection and promotion. It also identifies social
determinants associated to health and health inequalities, issues that impact health of a person as
well as specific health risks.
MAIN BODY
1. What is understanding about concept of health along with wellbeing as well as principles of
public health and health promotion, prevention addition to protection
In accordance to Felman (2020), health is said to a state in which a person is complete
physical addition to emotional comfort (Felman, 2020). It is a positive concept which emphasise
on personal along with social resources along with physical capacities. It reflects that health is a
resource for supporting functioning of a person in wider society despite of end in itself. In
context to case study, health for Karim and his family is significant for living life to fullest.
When Karim leads a healthy lifestyle, their body remains healthy along with mind remains active
and fresh. It is fundamental right for all and having good health assist in performing day to day
routine smoothly.
Davis (2019) says that concept of wellbeing is termed to an experience of happiness,
prosperity together with health (Davis, 2019). It entails good mental health, sense of purpose,
1

potential for stress management and high life satisfaction. It is determined by how life of a
person stacks up against distinct value systems that are set in place for self. As per case study,
the way Karim feel, in context to physically and mentally, is essence of living. Perceptions and
ability of Karim for observing own feelings and thoughts are what makes them human along
with separates against other individual. The sense of wellbeing is not necessarily tied to the
among of money Karim earned or the kind of car they drive. Wellbeing improves productivity,
morale, number of sickness absences and performance of a person.
Health promotion is delineated to a process to enable population for enhancement of
control over as well as to make improvisation in own health. Health promoting activity in order
to promote health are important for enhancing quality of life for all people. In context to case
study, health promotion activities such as preventing excessive consumption of Alcohol,
increasing access to healthy food and so on are important for Karim in order to improve quality
of life of Karim and his family members. Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 is health promotion
practice that create a faster system to deal with a backlog of cases. Mentioned below are some
principles of health promotions:
Principle of participative: As per the principle, people are required to take active part in
decision making for own health (Hardey, 2022). In context to case study of Karim, it is role of
nurse to empower Karim for exercising more control on decision making along with participate
from initial stage to look after own health. With this principle, Karim is able to gain insights
about own health problems and learn ways for overcoming them to gain good health.
Principle of equitable: The principle ensures fairness of results for users of health service.
With consideration to NMC future nurse standards, it is role of nurse to promote health of an
individual with fairness of outcomes. As per the case study, application of principle of equitable
can give high priority requirements for Karim to provide continuum of care as well as help
Karim to understand factors that contribute in ill health.
Health prevention could be said to an action which aimed for avoiding manifestation of
disease. For Karim, health prevention includes practices for making improvisation in health
through changing influences of social along with economic determinants on health. Principles of
health prevention in context to Karim are as follows:
Principle of avoiding risks: The principle states that wherever possible, an individual
should avoid risks. In aspect to Karim, it is role of nurse to guide Karim for eliminating risks as
2

well as get rid of health based problems (Health And Safety: The Principles Of Prevention,
2021). It is not possible for a person to avoid risks, however, must avoid those which should be
so to prevent any illness.
Principle of giving collective protective measures priority: The principle says that
collective protective measures must be given priority over protective measures for an individual.
In context to case study, collective measures for Karim and his family give greatest advantages
for protecting health of all. It is role of nurses to consider the ways preventive measures work
collectively and ensure they are compatible.
Health protection is safeguarding individuals and populations by effective collaboration
of professionals in determining, preventing together with mitigating impacts of disease and of
threats associated to environment. Some of principles related to health protection that can be
applied in situation of Karim are as follows:
Principle of planning and preparedness: The principle is all about scheduling
emergence and wellbeing management together with aspects of protection of emergency
preparedness to protect health of a person. In case with Karim, principle of planning and
preparedness guide nurses to adopt set of activities in public health.
Principle of identification and correction: The principle protect health of a person
through encouraging people for reporting health and safety hazards to healthcare based
establishment. With this, health of Karim against certain diseases can be protected by a nurse by
determining health issues and providing correct precautions.
2. Identification of social determinants of health along with inequalities in health
Social determinants of health can be named to nonmedical factors which influence health
based results (Molloy, Munro and Pope, 2021). In other words, these are said to circumstances
wherein an individual born, grow, live, work and so on that shapes situations of day to day life.
At same time, inequalities in health are unjust along with avoidable differences in health of
people across population as well as between particular population groups. In case with Karim,
understanding about social determinants of health and inequalities results in gaining insights to
improve own health status so to predict negative results. These are unfair together with
unavoidable differences in health status among communities or group of people. In context to
case study, identified social determinants of heath along with inequalities of health in case with
Karim underneath:
3

Neighbourhood and built environment: It is key determinant of health as well as
inequalities of health in a geographical location. In UK, there are huge number of people that
lives in boroughs with unsafe air or water and other risks. In case with Karim, neighbourhood
and built environment causes inequalities of health. It is because of built environment impacts
physical activities and inaccessible aspects results in poor health outcomes including high
cholesterol, excessive consumption of Alcohol and inaccessible of food.
Community environment: It is analysed from the case of Karim that community
environment is determinant of health and inequalities in health. Interactions with individuals
along with their family affects health of an individual. For Karim, environment of community
contributes in inequalities of health as it was complex for the family to make connections and put
down roots as when they do it, they are moved to another accommodation that impacts on their
self-esteem and health care practices.
Income along with its distribution: Income is considered as most significant social
determinant of health as level of income shapes whole living situations, influences health based
behaviours addition to affects psychological functioning (Turgay, Yılmaz and Akçiçek, 2018) .
Within UK, income distribution determines quality of people in form of food security, housing
along with other necessary requisites of health. The greater the gap among demographic profile,
the more differences in health inequalities. Low income predisposes an individual to material
along with social deprivation. The more deprivation results in less probability for Karim and
family to able to afford basic prerequisites of health, comprising, housing and other practices of
healthcare. Deprivation causes social exclusion through making it complex to participate in
educational, recreational as well as cultural practices. In case with Karim, income and
determinants affects health addition to limits willingness of the person for living daily life.
Increasing income inequality for asylum troubles people.
Health care services: High quality of healthcare services are key social determinants of
health along with basic right of a person (Bonoti, Christidou and Spyrou, 2019). As per
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, purpose of heath care is to protect health of asylum while
spreading health costs across wider society. In aspect to case of Karim and family, healthcare
system is effective to protect them with lower incomes who fail to afford private healthcare
insurance. Health and Social Care Act 2012 sets out essential requirements which provincial or
territorial governments are require to meet with the help of public health care insurance plans.
4

For asylum and other population, clinicians are put at centre of commissioning, empower
patients, frees up providers for innovation and gives new emphasis for public health. However,
there are certain barriers including lack of availability, limited language coverage and high cost
that causes inaccessibility of healthcare services for Karim that results in unmet health needs,
inability to get preventive services and so on against citizens of the country that causes
inequalities in health.
Living conditions: It has been determined that healthy homes promotes good mental
along with physical health (Gray, Temel and El-Jawahri, 2021). For an individual, good health
depends on having homes which are safe as well as free against physical hazards. On other hand,
poor quality together with inadequate housing contributes in various health problems including
injuries, chronic disease, etc. In case with Karim, living away from ancestors and at high rise
building street, temporary accommodation and in less time period, moving to another
accommodation contributes in health inequalities.
3. What are issues which impact on health or wellbeing of a person
Health issues are ailment or environmental conditions which poses higher risks of health of
an individual (Chase, Rezaie and Zada, 2019). In context to people seeking asylum in UK, there
are various issue that impacts on their wellbeing and health. As asylum as so uninsured, out of
pocket healthcare costs are more than paid by uninsured, making them less pay for care they
need causes issues in health. Within UK, frequent health issues include accidental injuries,
diabetes and hypertension, cardiovascular events, etc. In case with Karim, there are various
issues that impact on health and wellbeing. Mentioned are some of them below:
Low income: It is well known that people with higher income are healthier that impacts
positively on their health (Bradbury, 2020). In case with Karim, low income is an issue that
affects health as it influences health in direct manner by goods and services which Karim
purchase support and damage their health. Within UK, income and determinants influences
health of people through generating chronic stress because of enhanced social comparisons,
destabilise institutions and erode of social cohesion which plays role in protecting wellbeing.
Issue of low income is highly associated to mortality across income distribution as well as
income- associated health disparities that appears to growing over time. In case of Karim, it
restricts resources used to avoid risks and adopt healthy behaviors. It also affects surrounding
wherein an individual live including physical parts of places, infrastructure, services, reputation
5

of communities and culture that have independent effect of outcomes of health of Karim and his
family.
Uncertain living conditions: Living conditions of an individual are associated to wider
kinds of health implications (Namer and Razum, 2018). The quality of home has substantial
impact on wellbeing and health of a person. In case with Karim, living in one-bedroom flat on 8th
floor at high rise building on busy street causes serious health issues including pains in body,
feeling tired and so on. Moreover, temporary accommodation by local authority of UK also
impacts on health. The uncertainty of their situation, often combined with poor living conditions,
impacts both physically and mentally on homeless individuals and families. It enhances risk of
mental health situations, violence as well as substance use, among other things.
Barriers in accessing healthcare services: For people in a geographical location, barriers
in accessing healthcare services causes potential health impacts, such as increased burden, poor
management of chronic disease and so on. For instance, People without medical insurance in UK
are more likely to lack a usual source of medical care, such as a PCP, and are more likely to skip
routine medical care due to costs, increasing their risk for serious and disabling health
conditions. In case with Karim, issue of barriers in accessing services related to healthcare
impacts on health as they forego preventive care addition to seek health care at more advanced
stages of disease. Potential of an individual for accessing health services has a profound effect on
every aspect of their wellbeing.
Socio-Economic status: It is class or social standing of people or group. Socioeconomic
status encompasses not just income but also educational attainment, financial security, and
subjective perceptions of social status and social class. Socioeconomic status, whether assessed
by income, education, or occupation, is linked to a wide range of health problems, including
cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis, diabetes and other diseases. It is measured as
combination of income, occupation and other factors. Examination of status of socioeconomic of
an individual, it reveals inequalities in access to resources along with issues concerned with
power, control and privilege. In case with Karim, low socioeconomic status as Karim’s low
income and lower education achievement affects functioning that comprises of physical and
mental health. All these factors affects potentials of Karim to make healthy choices, manage
stress level, afford medical care and housing. Socioeconomic factors are not commonly
deliberated at the time it comes to health, nevertheless approaches to improve these factors can
6

have an even greater impact on health of an individual over time against those who are
traditionally associated with health improvement, entailing strategies to improve health
behaviours. Furthermore, in case with Karim, inequities in distribution of health, resource
distribution along with quality of life impacts on health adversely.
4. What are the particular health risks related to case study. What possible advice addition to
support a nurse can give for promoting health and wellbeing
Health risks is said to any chance or likelihood about something that is going to harm health
of a person. With understanding of health risk, a healthcare practitioner, for example, nurse, keep
an individual informed about finding ways for preventing and improving health based issues
(Huda, 2021). Risks are all around health of an individual. With knowledge about health risk and
advantages of medical treatment can assist a person and healthcare practitioner to make informed
decisions. In case with Karim, mentioned below are particular risks associated to the health:
Substance abuse: It is related to consumption of drugs and alcohol. In case with Karim,
substance abuse in form of addiction to drink and smoke is health risks. It affects multiple
aspects of physical and psychological health of Karim. With repeated drinking and smoke, there
are possibilities of changes in weight as well as appetite of the person. It also enhances strain on
the liver that puts the person at risk of significant liver damage or liver failure. Furthermore,
chronic usage of alcohol and smoke, it can result in both short- and long-term changes in the
brain leading to mental health issues.
Mental health issues: Stressful and uncertain living situation is health risk related to
people seeking asylum (d’Abreu, Castro-Olivo and Ura, 2019). In case with Karim, uncertain
living situation, low income and so on aspects causes mental illness and other mood disorders
comprising anxiety on rise, paranoia, depression, aggression, hallucinations and so on. Many
who suffer from addiction are also diagnosed with a mental disorder. Poor mental health lead to
poor physical health or harmful behaviors. For Karim, health risk of mental illness can lead to
disability. People with mental health issues are less likely to have access to adequate health care.
Nurse performs significant role in prevention, promotion, protecting and improving
health of a person along with wider community. It is responsibility of nurse to recognise
symptoms of patients, take measures within scope of practice in order to administer medications,
collaborating with other healthcare professionals for optimising comfort of patient and
understand families as well as provide measures for alleviating symptoms. In case of Karim,
7

nurse needs various skills and adequate knowledge for providing supporting. In this aspect,
nurses require knowledge about ways to implement preventive care tactics, diagnosis and issuing
prescriptions, work independently and know how to handle asylum. At same time, skill sets
required by a nurse to support Karim are time management, networking, organisation,
communication and empathy (Thompson, 2018). In case with Karim, the nurse requires
communication skill so to exchange information about all aspects related to health. Strong
written addition to verbal skills are central for improvisation of outcomes of health, fostering
relationship with patients and families together with navigating complex scenarios. The time
nurses spend with patients also provides them with unique insights into their patients’ wants and
needs, health habits, and concerns, thus making them important advocates in their care.
Advocacy to patient is major working of nurse for Karim as it means assisting coordinating care
with other provider’s office addition to ensuring that Karim has been provided informed consent
to deal with health issues. Moreover, time management skill required by nurse so to organise
along with prioritise care for Karim. Nurses who develop techniques to better manage their time
can achieve balance in the face of time limitations. Mentioned below are some supportive
advises that nurses can give to Karim for health promotion interventions that will prevent,
protect, promote and improve the health of the individual:
 Avoid consumption of alcohol and cigarette: The nurse can advise Karim for avoiding
drinking and smoking as they might make Karim to feel better in shorter time period, but,
have negative effects on physical and mental health as well as illness.
 Develop good mental practice: The nurse can provide supportive advice to Karim for
making attempts to emphasis on positive emotions as well as events despite of negative
ones. With this, Karim can produce flourishing that are worth cultivating to psychological
growth and improved well-being over time.
 Seek help from others: The nurse can advise Karim to talk with family members and
other community people in order to feel less stressed. It is analysed that getting help from
others in difficult situations have greater chances of reducing burden that is felt by an
individual.
CONCLUSION
For a person, it is important to understand health and illness as with this, people are able to
inform potentiality for self-care addition to manage own health that can subsequently decline
8

certain burden on services associated to healthcare. Healthful lifestyle of an individual provides a
means for leading full life with meaning as well as purpose. Wellbeing comprises various
positive things, such as feeling socially connected, purposeful addition to happy. With strong
along with well adapted sense of wellbeing, an individual is able to overcome complexities
addition to attain goals in life. Social determinants of health along with inequalities in health
comprises of community environment, income along with its distribution, health care services,
living conditions as well as neighbourhood and built environment. Issues which impact on health
or wellbeing of a person are low income, uncertain living conditions and barriers in accessing
healthcare services.
9

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Bonoti, F., Christidou, V. and Spyrou, G. M., 2019. ‘A smile stands for health and a bed for
illness’: Graphic cues in children’s drawings. Health Education Journal. 78(7). pp.728-
742.
Bradbury, A., 2020. Mental health stigma: the impact of age and gender on attitudes. Community
mental health journal. 56(5). pp.933-938.
Chase, E., Rezaie, H. and Zada, G., 2019. Medicalising policy problems: the mental health needs
of unaccompanied migrant young people. The Lancet. 394(10206). pp.1305-1307.
d’Abreu, A., Castro-Olivo, S. and Ura, S. K., 2019. Understanding the role of acculturative stress
on refugee youth mental health: A systematic review and ecological approach to
assessment and intervention. School psychology international. 40(2). pp.107-127.
Gray, T. F., Temel, J. S. and El-Jawahri, A., 2021. Illness and prognostic understanding in
patients with hematologic malignancies. Blood reviews. 45. p.100692.
Hardey, M., 2022. Household Self-Tracking During a Global Health Crisis: Shaping Bodies,
Lives, Health and Illness. Emerald Group Publishing.
Hartmann-Kottek, L., 2022. An Understanding of Health and Illness. In General
Psychotherapy (pp. 257-334). Springer, Cham.
Huda, A.S., 2021. The medical model and its application in mental health. International Review
of Psychiatry. 33(5). pp.463-470.
Molloy, R., Munro, I. and Pope, N., 2021. Understanding the experience of diagnostic
overshadowing associated with severe mental illness from the consumer and health
professional perspective: a qualitative systematic review protocol. JBI Evidence
Synthesis. 19(6). pp.1362-1368.
Namer, Y. and Razum, O., 2018. Convergence theory and the salmon effect in migrant health.
In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health.
Thompson, N., 2018. Mental health and well-being: Alternatives to the medical model.
Routledge.
Turgay, N., Yılmaz, Ö. and Akçiçek, F., 2018. Health and Illness as a State of Being Human.
In Plant and Human Health, Volume 1 (pp. 53-64). Springer, Cham.
Online:
Davis. T. 2019. What Is Well-Being? Definition, Types, and Well-Being Skills. [Online].
Available through:
<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201901/what-is-well-
being-definition-types-and-well-being-skills>
Felman. A. 2020. What is good health. [Online]. Available through:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150999
Health And Safety: The Principles Of Prevention. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.haspod.com/blog/management/health-safety-principles-of-prevention>
10