Taking Charge of Your Health: Understanding Wellness and Chronic Disease Management
This chapter explores the concept of wellness, emphasizing its six dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, interpersonal/social, and environmental/planetary. It highlights the distinction between infectious and chronic diseases, focusing on how lifestyle choices contribute to conditions like heart disease, cancer, and strokes. The chapter also discusses the Healthy People Initiative, aiming to improve quality of life and health equity among Americans. Practical steps for achieving wellness, such as behavior change strategies and the Transtheoretical Model, are outlined, empowering individuals to take control of their health.
Taking Charge of Your Health: Understanding Wellness and Chronic Disease Management
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Presentation Transcript
Chapter One Taking Charge of Your Health
What is Wellness? • Optimal health and vitality that encompasses the following forms: • Physical • Emotional • Intellectual • Spiritual • Interpersonal/Social • Environmental/Planetary These six dimension interact continuously, allowing changes to affect some or others
Infectious vs. Chronic Diseases • Infectious: communicable from one person to another e.g. common cold • Chronic: develops and becomes worse over a period of time, usually caused by lifestyle factors • Heart Disease (CAD) • Cancer • Stroke People do have some control over the development of many chronic diseases
The Healthy People Initiative[Table 1-3] • National Wellness Goals that the U.S. government seeks to prevent unnecessary disease and disability to achieve a better quality of life for all Americans • Published originally in 1980 and is revised every 10 years. • Each report includes broad goals and targets different areas of wellness • Year 2010 proposes two goals: • Increase quality and years of healthy life • Eliminate health disparities among Americans
Gender Ethnicity Income and Education Disability Geographic Location Sexual Orientation Health Issues for Diverse Populations
Stress levels Cynicism Diet Exercise Heredity/Family History Environment Access to adequate health care Factors that Influence Wellness
How Do You Reach Wellness? • Examine Your Current Health Habits • Choose a Target Behavior • Isolated behavior selected • Obtain Information About Your Target Behavior • Finding Outside Help
How to Create a Change in Behavior? • Examine Pros and Cons of Change • Boost Self-Efficacy • Internal locus of control (source of responsibility) • Visualization • Self-talk • Identify and learn how to overcome barriers to change
Precontemplation Contemplation Preparation Action Maintenance Termination Transtheoretical Model for Behavior Change James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente (1991) developed the following model to assist with understanding how behavior can create effective lifestyle changes
How to Create a Personalized Plan for Behavior Change • Monitor your behavior and gather data • Analyze the data and identify patterns • Set realistic and specific goals • Devise a strategy or plan of action • Make a commitment by signing a Personal Contract
A Major Factor in Affecting Behavior Change • Social Influences
Chapter One Taking Charge of Your Health
