A state in which the person fills unhealthy may or maynot related to disease. Health. 3 Stages of Illness 1. illness prevention: 1 a system of health education programs and activities directed at protecting patients from real or potential health threats, minimizing risk factors, and promoting healthy behavior. “…a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”– The World Health Organization. State in which a person’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social developmental or spiritual functioning is diminished or impaired. A state of optimal health or optimal functioning. Wellness is a process, never a static state. 16. Wellness. 2 actions taken by individuals to prevent illness in themselves and/or their families. Health and illness as a graduated scale has two ends. Absence of symptoms of illness and ability to carryout activities. Main idea of health- illness continuum model Health and illness are seen as relative concepts and not as separate absolutes. It is a condition characterized by a deviation from a normal, healthy state. Definition Health. Health is a dynamic state that fluctuates as a person adapts to changes in the internal and external environments to maintain a state of well- being. The Meaning of Illness. The Health, Illness - Wellness Continuum. Illness. Presence or absence of disease; Complete physical, mental, social well-being; Ability to maintain normal roles By understanding illness trajectories, the nurse will be able to develop an individualized plan of care for the patient who is nearing the end of life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. Although coping with illness has been of interest to social scientists and nursing scholars for decades, Weiner and Dodd clearly explicate that formerly implicit theoretical assumptions have limited the utility of this body of work (Wiener & Dodd, 1993, 2000). Uncertainty in Illness Theory; Presents a comprehensive structure within which to view the experience of acute and chronic illness and to organize nursing interventions to promote optimal adjustment. Sudden death, terminal illness, organ failure, and frailty are the four most common types of illness trajectories found in end-of-life care. Describes how individuals form meaning from illness-related situations. Although the concept of illness appears to be an objective construct when compared to the concept of health, a closer look at some philosophical issues which underlie illness definition reveals that it might not necessarily be the case. 2.