Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter 32: Health Maintenance, Health Promotion, and Wellness

What three areas do people consider when describing their health status?

When describing their health status, people typically describe health as the presence or absence of physical and emotional symptoms, how they feel emotionally and physically, and how they are able to function.

What are the differences between the traditional, clinical model of health and the other models of health?

The traditional, clinical model of health defines health as the absence of illness. The other models (e.g., health-belief model, high-level wellness model, social learning theory, the ecologic model, and Pender’s health promotion model) define health more holistically, as well-being, balance, adaptation, or self-actualization.

What are the factors influencing an individual’s health behavior?

An individual’s health behavior is influenced by (1) the inconvenience or cost of the change, (2) the severity of disease, (3) susceptibility to disease, (4) self-efficacy, (5) family socialization, (6) self-concept, (7) cognitive abilities, (8) age and developmental level, (9) gender (with women seeking health care more readily than men), (10) previous experiences with the healthcare system, (11) environmental quality, and (12) economic resources.

What is the essential difference between health promotion and disease prevention (health protection)?

The essential difference between health promotion and disease prevention (health protection) lies in the motivation. When a healthy behavior, such as exercise, is done for the person to feel “good,” to achieve a high level of wellness, the behavior is health promotion. When a healthy behavior is done to prevent a disease, it is disease prevention (health protection).

What are the international priorities identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other assemblies?

The international priorities for health promotion in the 21st century are to (1) promote social responsibility for health, (2) increase community capacity and individual empowerment, (3) increase investments for health development, (4) secure an infrastructure for health promotion, (5) strengthen the evidence base for health promotion, and (6) reorient health systems and health services.

What is the difference between the “Health City” plan and the “Healthy People 2010 Objectives”?

The “Healthy City,” which is based on a social ecological model, is a WHO effort to plan health promotion strategies for communities. The people who make up a community share responsibility for making decisions about health issues with professionals as well as public, private, and nonprofit responsibility for health. This model defines health as quality of life, so all aspects of life are included, including housing, education, transportation, and so on, in addition to medical care, and is the model adopted by nursing.

Healthy People 2010 Objectives were developed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which mobilized public health agencies. The program is administered through the United States Public Health Service. The states use the Objectives to develop programs. Currently, the need to recognize improvement of quality of life and reducing disparities in the type of health care provided for different groups has been recognized. However, the focus of the Objectives is predominantly on disease prevention.

What are some examples of lifespan considerations when planning health maintenance activities?

When planning programs for the infant, the family’s health practices and risk factors are important considerations. The nurse may need to work with the infant’s caregivers and their health behaviors while addressing the infant’s needs, for example, for a safe environment and adequate nutrition. Likewise, the nurse needs to educate the older child’s caregivers on safety practices, such as wearing helmets or seatbelts, because children are prone to accidents and injuries. Adolescents are vulnerable to peer pressure and making unhealthy choices, so the nurse needs to help parents as well as teens use open communications and make healthy lifestyle choices. Adults need stress management, self-examination and self care skills, and regular communication with a health care provider for adequate health promotion.