Comprehensive Report: General Concepts of Health and Illness Overview

This report delves into the general concepts of health and illness, exploring definitions and key models like the medical, social, and ecological models. It examines health promotion, emphasizing hygiene, the immune system, and nutrition, including the benefits of exercise and the dangers of smoking and substance misuse. The report also analyzes risk factors in health and illness, considering environmental, social, and microbiological influences, and different types of diseases. It further highlights the importance of surveillance in health promotion, offering a comprehensive overview of factors affecting individual and community health, providing insights into disease prevention and health improvement strategies.

The General Concept of Health and
Illness

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Outline the general concept of health and illness........................................................................1
Discuss the concept of health promotion.....................................................................................2
Discuss risk factors in health and illness:....................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCE..................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
The particular essay is based on identifying general concept of health illness and will be
covering certain factors like that of health, illness, medical model, health belief model and
ecological model discussed. Then further discussion will be on concept of health promotion, with
lack of hygiene and benefits of immune systems on health. Towards the end risk factor in health
and illness will be included with environmental factor which effect health and explaining
importance of infection control.
MAIN BODY
Outline the general concept of health and illness
Define Health
Health as per the definition of World Health Organisation is that particular situation of
completing all mental, physical and social well-being of person (Townsend and Morgan, 2017).
Thus health would not merely mean absence of disease and deficiency of any important
minerals.
Define Illness
Illness on the other hand is that period or disease which is affecting body and mind of
person in negative manner (Huber, Dagnelie and Knottnerus, 2016). It could also be defined to as
that condition under which body or mind of person is not able to function properly and is harmed
due to any form of disease or sickness.
Medical model
Medical model was propounded by R.D. Laing in year 1971 which is including all set of
complaints, medical history, examination and test which are performed by doctors. The training
or development method which is been given to all doctors so that they could be able to identify
problem of patients not by way of treatment but only be other possible alternatives like that of
medical history, simple test and examination (Stoddart and Evans, 2017).
Social Model
While on other hand social model of disability includes the cause and effect of society on
mental health of people. It was developed due to the traditional model of medical that is
examining factors contributing to health like political, cultural and social environment (Green
and Thorogood, 2018). Thus social model will help in understanding the actual meaning and
relationship between health, stressors and coping strategies.
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Health belief model
The health belief model (HBM) was developed in 1950 in USA Public Health Service
which states that belief of people which is related to their health problems will be that barrier to
action which is explained under engagement and lack of engagement within the health promoting
behaviour (Weiss and Lonnquist, 2017). This model will be clearly developing and explaining
the health related behaviour of people especially at time of undertaking up taking health service.
Ecological model
The ecological model will be having multiple level of influence on health behaviour of
people like intrapersonal and individual factor which would be impacting behaviour like that of
belief and attitudes (Ananth, 2017).
Discuss the concept of health promotion
Define Health promotion
Promotion of health is that process which will enable all people to increase their control,
improving their health and hygiene (Freud, 2018). Thus this will required to move beyond the
focus of individual behaviour for the wider range of social and environmental intervention.
What is hygiene?
Hygiene is that state or practice which would enable the person to maintain their
prevention of diseases and health in better way with help of cleanliness (Giger, 2016). Thus this
hygiene is providing promotion of health and better wellbeing for whole population and
individual level as well.
There are many disease which are caused due to not maintaining proper hygiene so this
will also be preventing and controlling personal hygiene for individual.
What campaign has been used to promote good hygiene in the UK?
It is very much important that government are making efforts at their level in way of
promoting hygienic environment among public and especially children at schools. In this way
Hygiene promotion for reducing incident of poor hygiene and conditions which are at higher risk
of health of children and public should be adopted (Eldredge, Fernandez and Parcel, 2016). Like
in UK promoting sanitation and Hygiene in schools to make toilers clean and free of germs is
providing good messages.
What happens when there is a lack of hygiene?
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Due to lack of hygiene chance of growing diseases, germs and illness will increase
leading to severe health issue and even cause of death (Edelman, Mandle and Kudzma, 2017).
The poor hygiene will sometimes lead to mental or emotional disorders like depression and
psychotic disorders.
What is an immune system and why is it important?
Immune system is that process or organ of body which is providing resistance to infection
or toxins to body of individual. These organs include like that of lymph nodes, thymus and bone
marrow (Dickerson, Patten and Wallerstein, 2018). This is the defence system of body which
does not allow any disease or infection to attack human body which includes the network of cell
and tissues so this is the most important system of human body.
Define Immunity
This is the ability of organism in way of resisting the infection or disease with help of
antibodies and sensitised white blood cells (Roll, 2018). This immunity in biological sense
means state where everything is balance in respect to multicellular organisms and they are
having adequate defensive power to fight with infection.
Explain the benefits of immunity on health for the population
After the age of 50 immunity power of people will start weakening down. So at this stage
it is very much important to strengthen up the immunity system of people or population so that
they could be able to perform their day to day work with ease (Batterham, Buchbinder and
Osborne, 2016). There are number of benefits of immune systems like that of better bones, free
from heart diseases, better blood circulation and benefit to person suffering from diabetes.
What happens when the immune system is poor/does not work correctly?
There are number of reasons for weaker immune system like that of poor nutrition,
imbalance diet, smoking and intake of alcohol. While if any person is suffering from HIV the
white blood cells would be destroyed due to weaker immune system and thus leading to AIDS
(Barer, 2017). The time when the immunity system of person fails or is poor their ability to fight
with disease will not be there and their health would become more and more bad.
Define Nutrition
Nutrition is that science which will be interpreting the connection between food and its
related nutrients which people gain after eating food. This will be based on maintain growth,
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health and reproduction system of organism including the in taking of food, its absorption,
catabolism and excretion thereafter (Postma, Bush and van den Berge, 2015).
Food pyramid
This is the dietary plan which needs to be followed by people each day starting with basic
food groups which was developed in 1974 (Berkman, Kawachi and Glymour, 2014).
Calorie intake
This is the number of calorie per person need to take on per day bases based on their age,
sex and type of work they are meant to do (Clements, Doyle and Robinson, 2015).
Food supplements
This is the intended in take or supply of nutrient which need to be there within daily
dietary plan of person like that of minerals, vitamins, botanicals, enzymes and herbals (Green
and Thorogood, 2018). While one of the popular supplements of food will be that of Vitamins D
and E with minerals
Why is having a nutritious diet (eating healthy) important?
It is very much important to take proper and balance diet as would help in maintaining
good weight and height (Clements, Doyle and Robinson, 2015). Thus it will also help in
reducing the risk of any sort of diseases like that of cancer or heart related problems.
What campaigns have been used to promote this?
One of the famous is Change4Life which includes eat well, move more and live longer
(Weiss and Lonnquist, 2017). This will be supporting and promoting healthy living and
preventing from becoming overweight.
What can happen if you do not have a nutritious diet?
If the person is not having nutritious diet than he would become overweight leading to
many diseases and heart problems (Ananth, 2017). This will also be leading to deficiency of
required minerals and vitamins as well.
Importance and benefits of exercising
The regular exercise would be improving health and reducing down the risk of many
types of diseases like cancer or Type 2 diabetes (Freud, 2018).
The physical activity will also be having longer and better health benefits with improving
quality of life for people (Giger, 2016).
What campaigns have been used to promote exercising?
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Public health England lunched the application which helped people to support into their
level of remaining fit and promoting exercising as well (Stoddart and Evans, 2017).
What happens if you do not take part in physical activities?
If the person is not able to take part in physical activities then their immune system will
weaken down, they would be more prone to disease and illness (Huber, Dagnelie and
Knottnerus, 2016).
Effects of smoking on individual and the community
The long-time effect of smoking includes bad breath, yellow teeth and risk to death
(Eldredge, Fernandez and Parcel, 2016). While to community will be increased in air pollution
within environment the air which we are breathing or inhaling will become dirty.
Effects of substance misuse on individual and community
The intake of drug or cigarettes will be impacting individual and the person who are close
to them as well (Batterham, Buchbinder and Osborne, 2016). They will start losing their family,
increased number of domestic violence also takes place and then there are financial issues.
Define surveillance in Health Promotion
Surveillance is the process of continues and systematic approach of collecting and
analysing of health related data from communities and families so that proper planning and
evaluation of public health practice could take place (Green and Thorogood, 2018).
Explain the importance of surveillance in Health Promotion
This could be termed to as early warning system in way of implementing new health
emergency among people and monitoring epidemiology of health problems as well (Clements,
Doyle and Robinson, 2015).
Discuss risk factors in health and illness:
What are the environmental factors which effect health?
There are certain environmental factors which effect the health of individual like that of
natural or technological disaster, air, and water and food pollution as well (Berkman, Kawachi
and Glymour, 2014).
What are the social factors which effect health?
There are some social factors also like that of working conditions, age, sex, and area of
born and living environment affect health of people (Postma, Bush and van den Berge 2015).
Define Microbiology
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This is that branch of science which is dealing with study of microorganism. These could
be cell cluster or unicellular organism that is only visible through microscope (Roll, 2018).
Identify the types of diseases with examples of each type of disease
Type of disease Definition Example
Infectious diseases These are those types which
could be spread through many
agents these are caused by
bacteria or fungus and viruses
(Giger, 2016)
Tuberculosis
Deficiency diseases This is caused due to lack of
any dietary element like that
of vitamin or mineral (Freud,
2018).
Osteoporosis
Hereditary diseases This is caused by genetic
disorder or abnormalities of
genome (Giger, 2016)
Marfan syndrome
Physiological diseases This is that condition which
will affect only one part of
body to get it malfunction
(Freud, 2018).
Asthma
What are the risk factors for infection in healthcare settings?
The risks factors for infection within healthcare will be that of predispose patients to HAI
(Dickerson, Patten and Wallerstein, 2018). The vulnerable patients would be reflecting
likelihood of infection like among elderly people.
Define infection control
This is that process which is concern with prevention of nosocomial or the health care
association infection (Batterham, Buchbinder and Osborne, 2016). This will be essential with the
under recognised and under supported part of the infrastructure of health care setting.
Explain 4 ways for healthcare settings to implement infection control and what policy it
follows when doing so?
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There are many ways of health care setting in way of implementing infection control but
basic and 4 principles are hand hygiene, environmental hygiene, screening and vaccination
(Townsend and Morgan, 2017). The NHS will follow the healthcare setting in implementing
infection control is the Standard Infection control Principles.
Explain the importance of infection control?
The hand hygiene is the most important part of control from infection this includes to
prevent spread of bacteria from the environment to the patient and others (Stoddart and Evans,
2017). So if infections are controlled then there is less chance of getting ill or coming in contact
with disease.
CONCLUSION
The following essay could be summarised as health and illness is very much important
topic to get studied which will allow person to get themselves clean and hygienic with help of
education and promotional campaign as well.
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REFERENCE
Books and journals:
Ananth, M., 2017. In defense of an evolutionary concept of health: nature, norms, and human
biology. Routledge.
Barer, M., 2017. Why are some people healthy and others not?. Routledge.
Batterham, R.W., Buchbinder, R. and Osborne, R.H., 2016. Health literacy: applying current
concepts to improve health services and reduce health inequalities. Public health, 132,
pp.3-12.
Berkman, L.F., Kawachi, I. and Glymour, M.M. eds., 2014. Social epidemiology. Oxford
University Press.
Clements, C.C., Doyle, A.E. and Robinson, E.B., 2015. Prenatal antidepressant exposure is
associated with risk for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder but not autism spectrum
disorder in a large health system. Molecular psychiatry, 20(6), p.727.
Dickerson, D., Patten, C.A. and Wallerstein, N., 2018. Encompassing cultural contexts within
scientific research methodologies in the development of health promotion
interventions. Prevention Science, pp.1-10.
Edelman, C.L., Mandle, C.L. and Kudzma, E.C., 2017. Health Promotion Throughout the Life
Span-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Eldredge, L.K.B., Fernandez, M.E. and Parcel, G.S., 2016. Planning health promotion
programs: an intervention mapping approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Freud, A., 2018. Normality and pathology in childhood: Assessments of development.
Routledge.
Giger, J.N., 2016. Transcultural Nursing-E-Book: Assessment and Intervention. Elsevier Health
Sciences.
Green, J. and Thorogood, N., 2018. Qualitative methods for health research. Sage.
Huber, M., Dagnelie, P.C. and Knottnerus, J.A., 2016. Towards a ‘patient-
centred’operationalisation of the new dynamic concept of health: a mixed methods
study. BMJ open, 6(1), p.e010091.
Postma, D.S., Bush, A. and van den Berge, M., 2015. Risk factors and early origins of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease. The Lancet, 385(9971), pp.899-909.
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Roll, A.E., 2018. Health promotion for people with intellectual disabilities–A concept
analysis. Scandinavian journal of caring sciences, 32(1), pp.422-429.
Stoddart, G.L. and Evans, R.G., 2017. Producing health, consuming health care. In Why are
some people healthy and others not? (pp. 27-64). Routledge.
Townsend, M.C. and Morgan, K.I., 2017. Psychiatric mental health nursing: Concepts of care
in evidence-based practice. FA Davis.
Weiss, G.L. and Lonnquist, L.E., 2017. The sociology of health, healing, and illness. Routledge.
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