Health-Illness Continuum
The health-illness continuum involves a model with optimal health on one side and total disability or death on the other. The health-illness continuum can help assess how “healthy” an individual is and possibly even help motivate the individual to make healthier choices. Health trajectories are person-focused and coincide with the person-centered focus in nursing practice. The health of a human being ranges back and forth throughout their lifespan. Models can help healthcare professionals determine whether a patient is ill or healthy; this will also help the healthcare team plan and care for the patient. Understanding the patient’s health and wellness by the family members and caregivers can be improved by having a visual tool. When providing holistic care, it is also important to consider mental health.
Another important factor to consider when assessing where a patient may fall on the health-illness continuum is the energy level. Even though patients may believe they are healthy because they do not have heart disease or diabetes, they may have a mental illness or obesity issues or have low energy. Battling with a mental illness can hinder a patient’s quality of life, even though they may appear healthy. The illness-wellness continuum left side starts with signs, symptoms, and progresses to disability and death. On the other hand, the right side progresses to awareness, education, and growth to achieve a high wellness level.
Understanding where you fall in the continuum as a healthcare provider is important. It is essential for on to know their state of health when caring for others to keep the patient and oneself healthy and safe.
Obesity is achieving a high level of wellness can be difficult for some individuals throughout their lifespan, as changes do occur. Maintaining a healthy weight, being aware of healthy nutrition, and the importance of regular exercise can greatly assist individuals in reaching optimal health. Taking care of an individual’s mental health is also an important element in achieving wellness. Seeking community resources can help individuals who require health care but may not afford it or are unsure what steps to take next. Individuals should have annual physical exams, and patients with existing medical conditions should also see specialists about their conditions to decrease their condition’s progression.
Healthcare providers utilize the Health-Illness Continuum for their patients and themselves; thus, it is an important tool. A healthcare provider can explain the disease process and the necessary care that will accompany the process to the patient, family, and caregivers just by understanding the progression from pre-mature death to high-level wellness.
Understanding our health helps us understand what we need to do to care for ourselves. While caring for our patients is our career and priority, we must first care for ourselves so that we can be able to provide the highest level of care possible to our patients.