StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Disease and Illness: Impact in Public Health - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper 'Disease and Illness: Impact in Public Health' tells that it is important to clarify the difference between disease and illness. The disease presents a status of standardized pathological processes. In contrast, illness is characterized by individual symptom experiences…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.8% of users find it useful
Disease and Illness: Impact in Public Health
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Disease and Illness: Impact in Public Health"

Disease and Illness: Impact in Public Health It is important to clarify the difference between disease and illness. For Larsen and Lubkin (2009, p. 4), disease presents a status of standardized pathological process. In contrast, illness is characterized by individual symptom experiences. A specific example is the prevalence of circulatory conditions in most communities in United Kingdom (European Observatory on Health Care Systems, 1999, p. 3). At this point, processes in anatomical and functional alterations, such as enlargement of coronary parts or narrowing of vessels, comprise the disease concept. In relative text, an illness behavior is apparent in an excerpt in Figure 1 (please see Appendix A). Although health services dealing with these concepts are addressed in United Kingdom, the impact of elevated cases of debilitating diseases seems to interrupt the fight for better public health and social program implementation. Health Service Program In the sector of public health, several points are significantly addressed in the aim of providing quality health services to communities. In description, public health is viewed as “the science and art of preventing diseases, prolonging life and promoting health through organised efforts of society” (Mohamed, 2006, p. 271). Note that the primary goal is more on preventive mechanisms, performed not only by health personnel concerned, but by other associated entities in the society. One way of achieving the major objective is to determine the prevalence of diseases present in given communities. This is the investigation on the set of morbidity (disease) cases plaguing communities, may it be new cases or older ones (Anderson & McFarlene, 2010, p. 30). The drawn results can serve as the parametric basis in which management actions can be planned and implemented. Thus, the role of prevalent studies on disease is important for this paves way in which health activities can either be a success or not. In the face of public health adversity, government in UK safeguards rights to health through the establishment of National Health Service (NHS). It seeks to improve perceived weaknesses in health-service performance, as well as enhance standards on the level of care (Ham, 2007, p. 2). In current public thrust , Health Lives, Health People, the collaboration of the entire government sector (from national to local), and private and volunteering agencies are solidified in generating cost-efficient health care (Public Health Development Unit, 2010, p. 6). In illustrative portrayals, Figure 2 (please see Appendix B), more health activities and burdens are relegated to local government, as they are in direct contact with the stakeholders in care. Moreover, modification necessitates increase in professional knowledge. As exemplified by nurse specialists in Coast-to-Coast Collaborative Program, they are given more independence in the provision of care: rendering medication controls for hypertensive case, as needed in the community (Addleman, 2004, p.37). Approaches in Well-being As a long-standing condition in United Kingdom, cases of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), plague the status of public health in the country. In the latest survey, almost 200, 000 deaths are accounted to CVD, rendering UK as the top contender for CVD cases in the entire continent of Europe (Care Quality Commission, 2009, p. 8). In reflection, as these groups of diseases remain resistant to any health care approaches, the high morbidity and mortality cases it triggers could mean the domination of CVD in United Kingdom, and even in other parts of the world (Astin & Atkin, 2010, p. 1). In this country, the strategy on local-focused care renders a step towards a “selection of preventive health practices for special funding priorities in the payment for general practitioners” (Tulchinsky & Varavikova, 2009). In spite of this stratagem, there is still no guarantee that such measures can improve the chronicity of citizens’ overall health status. Unfortunately, availability of general practitioners are time-bounded, spending a few hours of consultation and treatment; in the remaining hours, clients struggle to manage with their disease conditions. In some studies, primary home care is deemed insufficient in meeting the needs of clients. Specifically, citizens with cardiovascular conditions are best supported with practitioners that are experts, especially with a complete set of medical facilities (Mavaddat & Mant, 2010). The perception is that primary care personnel lack the experience commonly observed in higher medical institutions, and more so with long-term care in chronic disease. In the case of worsening health status with little chance of recovery, care is modified from disease treatment to alleviation of diseases and illness symptoms. The basic principle in palliative care centers on “prevention and relief of suffering...(through) treatment of pain” and overall factors affecting individuals and family members (Skilbeck & Payne, 2004, p. 327). Present Lifestyle for Future Reference With the growing realization that chronic diseases can interrupt economic productivity and general health status on communities in UK, several efficient steps had been initiated to combat this situations. In a report by the World Health Organization (n.d., pp. 1-2), almost 20 billion dollars of economic loss can be accounted to death associated with chronic conditions. In counteract, national and local programs (“smoke-free policies, increased taxation...and open criticism”) work to modify these unlikely habits into positive ones, but the willingness of each individuals to change their ways also account for the success of health communities (Tulchinsky & Varavikova, 2009). The thrust towards healthier communities in United Kingdom addresses the defects eating habits, lifestyle values and tobacco smoking. However, emphasis is prioritized on individualized care in communities, foregoing the role of care providers in rendering quality care. The importance of disseminating health information is part of the functions that these practitioners need to exercise, in order to sustain the balance in knowledge and skill in the management of chronic diseases (Niar & Finucane, 2003, p. 257). Thus, it is important to include the total commitment of the involved medical practitioners in effectively modifying lifestyles in favor of healthier body and mind. All in all, the impact of diseases and illnesses in community set-ups is not as dramatic as most are led to believe. Community services are focused on preventive measures, and not on the overall treatment of disease conditions. As lifestyle habits and values contribute to the enhancement of diseases, programs created by the government in United Kingdom ensure quality care by addressing problems on individual levels; altering negativity in health to constructive ones. As the process of change is instigated, the collaborative presence of those involved in health care provisions must also be attended to, in order to enact better care management and services in holistic manner. Thereby, the impact of diseases serves as the triggering point, but the sustenance of quality health services depends on the collaborative interaction of all parties in health care--citizens, medical staff, and policy makers for health. References Addleman, M., 2004. Managing health failure effectively in the community. The British Journal of Primary Care Nursing, [Online] Available at: http://www.bjpcn-cardiovascular.com/pdf/1996/Vol1_Num1_May_2004_p35-37.pdf?sid=c1f9a8659694858c [Accessed 23 December 2010]. Anderson, J.M. & McFarlene, E.T., 2010. Community as partner: Theory and practice in Nursing. USA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Astin, F. & Atkin, K., 2010. Ethnicity and coronary heart disease: Making peace of risk and improving care. Better Health Briefing, [Online] Available at: http://www.better-health.org.uk/files/health/health-brief16.pdf [Accessed 23 December 2010]. Care Quality Commission, 2009. National study: Closing the gap. [Online] Available at: http://www.cqc.org.uk/_db/_documents/Closing_the_gap.pdf [Accessed 22 December 2010]. European Observatory on Health Care Systems, 1999. Health care in transition: United Kingdom. [Online] Available at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/96419/E68283.pdf [Accessed 21 December 2010]. Ham, C., 2007. Clinically integrated systems: The next step in English health reform. [Online] Available at: http://www.northwest.nhs.uk/document_uploads/Transforming_Community_Services/ClinicalIntergratedSystemsChrisham.pdf [Accessed 22 December 2010]. Larsen, P.D. & Lubkin, I.M., 2009. Chronic illness: Impact and intervention. 7th ed. Canada: Jones and Barlett Publishers. Mavaddat, N. & Mant, J., 2010. Primary care research and clinical practice: Cardiovascular disease. Post-Graduate Medical Journal, [Online] 86. Available at: http://pmj.bmj.com/content/86/1022/696.full [Accessed 22 December 2010]. Mohamed, H.H., 2006. What is public health? Sudanese Journal of Public Health, [Online] 1 (4). Available at: http://www.sjph.net.sd/files/vol1i4p271-276.pdf [Accessed 22 December 2010]. Niar, B.R. & Finucane, P.M., 2003. Reforming medical education to enhance the management of chronic disease. MJA, [Online] 179. Available at: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/179_05_010903/nai10275_fm.pdf [Accessed 22 December 2010]. Public Health Development Unit, 2010. Healthy lives, healthy people: Consultation on the funding and commissioning routes for public health. [Online] Available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_123001.pdf [Accessed 23 December 2010]. Skilbeck, J.K. & Payne, S., 2004. End of life care a Discursive analysis of specialist palliative care nursing. Issues and Innovations in Nursing Practice, [Online] Available at: http://www.brown.uk.com/palliative/skilbeck.pdf [Accessed 22 December 2010]. Tulchinsky, T.H. & Varavikova, E.A., 2009. What is “New Pulblic Health?” Public Health Reviews, [Online] Available at: http://www.publichealthreviews.eu/show/f/23 [Accessed 22 December 2010]. World Health Organization, n.d. The impact of chronic disease in the United Kingdom. [Online] Available at: http://www.who.int/chp/chronic_disease_report/media/uk.pdf [Accessed 23 December 2010]. Appendix A Figure 1. Sample Text on the Concept of Illness (Harleman 2008 cited in Larsen & Lubkin, 2009, p. 4) Appendix B Figure 2. Diagram of Involved Sectors in the Process of Program Implementation (Public Health Development Unit, 2010, p. 7) Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1574868-public-health
(Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1574868-public-health.
“Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1574868-public-health.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Disease and Illness: Impact in Public Health

Definition of health, illness and disease

Thus as far as Smith's studies reflect it can be understood that there is a slight difference in the meanings of disease and illness.... Illness on the other hand represents the condition where an individual suffers from the different symptoms of any disease and does not experience the normal being of the health.... The study has focused on the fact that the concept of health has significantly different ideas and values.... It reflects different meanings in association with the concepts of health and diseases....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Self Management of Chronic Disease

Chronic illnesses refer to medical conditions or health problems with associated symptoms or disabilities that require long-term management usually three months or more (Brunner & Smeltzer, 2009).... This assignment "Self Management of Chronic Disease" presents chronic illness that affects people of all ages across the globe and it is majorly attributed to obesity, smoking, alcohol use, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol, and poor nutrition....
10 Pages (2500 words) Assignment

CASE STUDY - EXPERIANCE OF ILLNESS AND DISABILITY

This essay will discuss the sociology of health and illness, focusing on the social effects and public attitude towards illness, disability, diseases and health by exploring the social and biological effects on the sick person.... There are obvious differences in pattern of health and illness across societies.... The concept of health, diseases and illness varies from society to society.... The social location of our peers affects the life chances; the beliefs about health and illness held by the peers shape the experiences and understanding of the later generation....
13 Pages (3250 words) Essay

Discuss and analyse the economic impact/burden illnesses/addictions

Such a big sum of money arises from both the direct and indirect costs in the health care In reality, most obese people fail to work efficiently.... While there may be other sources of the chronic disease listed in the table, coronary artery disease has the highest attributable indirect cost ($ 1006.... ardiovascular disease is a chronic disease....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Sociology of Health, Illness, and Well-being

The objective of the present essay is to concern the topic of health care in relation to psychological well-being.... Moreover, the essay "Sociology of health, Illness, and Well-being" would examine various sociological perspectives regarding the issue, analyzing Marx, Durkheim, and Freud's Views.... Issues surrounding individual well-being in terms of optimal health continue to raise serious concerns amongst scholars, governments alike.... The emergence of cultural materialism in the wake of modern capitalism in the 20th century has caused a paradigm shift in individual perceptions of ideas of good health and psychological well-being....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

The Role of Public Health in Health and Social Care

The paper ''The Role of public health in Health and Social Care'' is a great example of a Health Sciences & Medicine essay.... The paper ''The Role of public health in Health and Social Care'' is a great example of a Health Sciences & Medicine essay.... The paper ''The Role of public health in Health and Social Care'' is a great example of a Health Sciences & Medicine essay.... public health on the other hand refers to the art and science of preventing disease or illness, prolonging of life, and promotion of health by informed choices and organized efforts within the community, public and private, organizations, agencies, the society, and individuals in general (Turnock, 2008)....
18 Pages (4500 words) Essay

Differences between Sociological and Lay Ideas about Illness from the Biomedicine Ideas

The sociological perception of health and illness concerns itself with the social ancestry of and how it influences the disease (Michael, 1997).... Despite being a topic of study in the past few decades, various scholars have given different views on whether health professionals should go the scientific way without involving the lay concepts or use the blended type.... For example, Hansen & Easthope, (2007) highlight the fact that the boundaries between medical and lay ideas with regards to lifestyle health explanations are blurred....
12 Pages (3000 words) Literature review

Impact of Chronic Medical Conditions on Adolescents and Strategies of Promoting Positive Development

The prevalence of chronic diseases among adolescents is a significant challenge to the health and wellness of adolescents, but assessing the extent of the issue continues to cause many challenges to health practitioners.... The paper "impact of Chronic Medical Conditions on Adolescents and Strategies of Promoting Positive Development" is a wonderful example of a term paper on nursing.... The paper "impact of Chronic Medical Conditions on Adolescents and Strategies of Promoting Positive Development" is a wonderful example of a term paper on nursing....
7 Pages (1750 words) Term Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us