VNSG 1400 Health and Illness Chapter 7

Acute illness - -Strikes suddenly and lasts for a limited time. An example of an acute illness would be food poisoning Adaptation - -The ability to positively adjust to changes that occur in an individual's world Chronic illness - -One that lasts for 3 months or longer and is characterized by intensifying or improving symptoms. Chronic illness may require treatment and medications or limitation of a person's activities. -An example of a chronic illness would be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Continuum - -A scale, with exceptional wellness at the top and severe illness at the bottom Coping strategies - -The actions people use to combat stress, vary from person to person Dependency phase - -A person relies on others for help in diagnosis and treatment. Exacerbation - -Chronic illness is characterized by periods of worsening symptoms Fight-or-flight response - -When your brain perceives a threat to your well-being, it sends messages to the body to prepare to either stay and fight or run away. Health literacy - -The ability of individuals to understand basic health information and to use that information to make good decisions about their health. Healthy People 2030 - -Healthy People provides science-based health goals and objectives to improve national health and prevent disease. Prodromal phase - -Before symptoms of a specific illness develop, a person may simply "not feel good," with generalized body aches and fatigue Recovery phase - -When the person is slowly able to resume independence and regain their health. It should be noted that people with a chronic illness often remain in the dependency phase because complete recovery is not possible. Remission - -Chronic illness is characterized by periods of either minimal symptoms or a complete absence of symptoms VNSG 1400 VNSG 1400 Risk factor - -These are physiological, psychological, or genetic elements that contribute to the development of an illness or disease. Stress - -Identified as a nonspecific response of the body to any demand made on it Seeking help phase - -The majority of people in society seek help from a medical professional Symptomatic phase - -Observable symptoms develop—for example, a sore throat and congestion or a rash with a fever Dunn's Theory of High-Level Wellness - -Four quadrants to describe a person's condition based on the influences of wellness or illness and a favorable or unfavorable environment. -Protected Poor Health: This occurs when the environment is favorable, but health is not. -Poor Health: This occurs when both health and environment are not favorable. -Emergent High-Level Wellness: This occurs when the environment is not favorable, but health is favorable. -High-Level Wellness: This occurs when both the environment and health are favorable. The 10 LHIs included in the Healthy People 2030 initiative are: - --Children, adolescents, and adults who use the oral health-care system (2+ years) -Consumption of calories from added sugars by persons aged 2 years and over (2+ years) -Drug overdose deaths -Exposure to unhealthy air -Homicides -Household food insecurity and hunger -Persons who are vaccinated annually against seasonal influenza -Persons who know their HIV status (13+ years) -Persons with medical insurance (65 years) -Suicides The Seven Warning Signs of Cancer - --Change in bowel or bladder habits -A sore that does not heal -Unusual bleeding or discharge from any body orifice -Thickening or a lump in the breast or elsewhere -Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing -Obvious change in a wart or mole -Nagging cough or hoarseness Symptoms of Stress - --Frequent feelings of anger, helplessness, or hopelessness -Headaches, back pain, and insomnia VNSG 1400 -Hiding real feelings from family and friends -Hurting loved ones with words or physical harm -Constant worry, memory loss, and trouble thinking clearly -Panic attacks with rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and dizziness -Isolation from friends and family -Inability to make decisions -Overuse of alcohol, drugs, or food to feel better