The health-illness continuum is a graphical representation of health in two opposing directions proposed by John. W. Travis in 1972. According to Travis, well-being is more than the absence of illness because it considers emotional and mental health. The continuum has two arrows pointing in the opposite direction and joining at a neutral point in the center. From the center, moving towards the right indicates a high level of wellness and improvement in one’s health level (Gorton, 2018). A person can achieve the transition to the right via three critical steps, education, awareness, and growth. Conversely, a movement to the left of the graph indicates deterioration of health, and an individual achieves the left shift through disability, signs, and symptoms.
It is crucial to consider the health-illness continuum about health and the human experience when caring for patients. It is because a caregiver can quickly determine whether a patient’s health status is shifting to the left or right after administering care. The information gathered helps assess the overall health performance and how medical professionals can maximize a patient’s survival (Gazaway et al., 2019). The continuum allows nurses and other caregivers to manage the patient’s signs and symptoms and improve their emotional and mental well-being by focusing on both sides of the perspective. Lastly, the patient should receive education and awareness on preventing illnesses and promoting good health in the future (Gorton, 2018). Overall, considering all these factors fosters holistic wellness that ensures a patient completely recovers from a particular ailment.
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How Understanding the Health-Illness Continuum Helps to Better Promote the Value and Dignity of Individuals or Groups
Understanding the health-illness continuum has enabled me as a health care provider better to promote the value and dignity of individuals or groups and to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing. My knowledge of the illness- wellness continuum helps me educate my patients on healthy lifestyle choices and preventive measures they should observe to help them stay away from diseases (Gazaway et al., 2019). The patients can educate their family or community members on what they have learned, thus reducing the incidence and prevalence of a particular health condition. As stated in the continuum, the patient care process should be continuous to ensure that an individual maintains acceptable well-being levels.
The health-illness continuum draws a connection between the treatment and the wellness paradigms. Therefore, a nurse with knowledge of the continuum and how it works can empower patients by inspiring them to assess their well-being and identify factors that can better their overall health. For example, an individual on the left side of the continuum, resulting from living with a health condition, requires a better health care plan that would shift their health status from left to the neutral position (Gazaway et al., 2019). However, people with a chronic condition such as hypertension sometimes perform their duties usually, and their bodies function correctly due to lack of signs and symptoms. Based on the continuum, such individuals are at the neutral zone of the graph. However, putting in place measures that shift them from neutral towards the right promotes the overall value of their health and dignity (Gorton, 2018). The same individuals can educate their friends and relatives and raise awareness, thus improving the overall health and prevention of some illnesses.
Reflection on My Overall State of Health
Right now, my health is neutral because my body performs well, and I do not have any underlying condition, signs, symptoms, or stress. However, my day to day health-illness continuum fluctuates with time. For instance, while completing assignments or preparing for examinations with limited time, stress sets in, and my health status shifts to the left. However, most of the time, my status is at a neutral health position with a slight change to the right (Gazaway et al., 2019). The fluctuation from the neutral position mostly arises from my behaviors and lifestyle. Through academics, I have gained knowledge and awareness of habits and factors that either support or detract from my health and well-being. I am an active student in curricular and extracurricular activities, where I am the assistant captain of the school basketball team (Gazaway et al., 2019). Therefore, when I am not reading or attending classes, I am usually on the court training with my teammates or working at a nearby restaurant where I obtained a part-time job.
However, I have had a tight schedule to the extent that I do not have time to connect with family and friends while in school. I am usually stressed out, and basketball training is sometimes not adequate to relieve my stress. Therefore, my health status continuum in the evening is usually slightly shifted to the left but is temporary, and when I get adequate rest, it goes back to neutral (Gazaway et al., 2019). Therefore, I need to work on my schedule and create time to link up with family.
The Options and Resources Available to Me to Help Move toward Wellness on the Health-Illness Spectrum
Today, there are many resources available for promoting health. For instance, the school has a health fitness room accessible by the whole school community. The services have helped modify students’ lifestyles and lower the incidence and prevalence of obesity and other associated conditions such as diabetes mellitus (Orji & Moffatt, 2018). Technology has improved accessibility to applications that have helped me monitor my workout rate and keep my weight within reasonable limits. I have kept my health in constant check thanks to telemedicine that has allowed me to remotely stay in touch with our family doctor while at school (Orji & Moffatt, 2018). These technological applications are useful for individuals managing chronic conditions such as diabetes.
References
Gazaway, S., Stewart, M., & Schumacher, A. (2019). Integrating palliative care into the chronic illness continuum: A conceptual model for minority populations. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities , 6 (6), 1078-1086. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40615-019-00610-y
Gorton, D. (2018). Holistic health techniques to increase individual coping and wellness. Journal of Holistic Nursing , 6 (1), 25-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/089801018800600108
Orji, R., & Moffatt, K. (2018). Persuasive technology for health and wellness: State-of-the-art and emerging trends. Health Informatics Journal , 24 (1), 66-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458216650979
