Taking Charge of Your Health Chapter One

2 Wellness: The New Health Goal Health –Usually refers to the condition of a person’s body (Absence of injury or illness) Wellness –Not limited to the absence of physical disease –Multidimensional state of optimal well-being determined by the decisions you make Six Dimensions of Wellness: –Physical –Emotional –Intellectual –Spiritual –Social –Environmental.

3 The Wellness Continuum Wellness: The New Health Goal

In the1900’s –~Lifespan = 47 yrs. –Most died from infectious disease –An Infectious disease is: easily spread from one person to another (bacteria & viruses) –After 1900’s vaccine & antibiotic development reduced # of infectious diseases Since the 1900’s –~Life span has doubled –Currently, most die from chronic disease – A chronic disease: develops and continues over a long period of time –Lifestyle choices increase or decrease the risk of chronic disease 4 Wellness: Then and Now

Leading Causes of Preventable Death in the United States

6 The Healthy People Initiative Healthy People 2020 has several objectives: –Eliminate preventable disease, disability, injury and premature death –Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities and improve health of all groups –Create social and physical environments that promote health –Promote healthy development & behaviors across all stages of life

7 Factors That Influence Wellness Health habits Heredity/Family history –Genome: entire amount of genetic material (DNA) in a persons cells –Favorable and unfavorable genes are inherited that decrease/increase risk of disease Environment Access to Health care

Getting Serious About Your Health Examine current health habits Choose a Target Behavior –Defined as: One behavior you want to change; start simple Learn About Your Target Behavior Find Help

Changing Your Behavior Setting Realistic Goals –What do I want? –Which change is the greatest priority at this time? –Why is this important to me? –What are the potential positive outcomes? –Are there family or friends whose help I can enlist? –Your behavior change goals should be SMART: SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC, TIME-FRAME SPECIFIC

Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change – Precontemplation No current intention of changing – Contemplation Recognize a problem and begin to contemplate the need to change – Preparation Close to taking action, and may have a plan – Action Begin to follow action plans or outwardly modify behavior – Maintenance Have maintained a behavior for at least six months; Vigilance, attention to detail, and long-term commitment – Termination New behavior has become an essential part of daily living

Things to Know What is health? wellness? What is the difference between the two? What are the six dimensions of wellness? Read about the occupational and financial wellness What is the wellness continuum? How do the dimensions of wellness interact? How has wellness changed from 1900’s until now? Why? What is an infectious disease and examples of? What is a chronic disease and examples of? What are two leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. What is the Healthy People 2020 and the goals discussed in class? 11

Things to Know What are factors that influence wellness? What is a genome? How can inheriting unfavorable/abnormal genes increase/decrease the risk of disease? What is the process discussed in class for getting serious about your health? Tips for changing a behavior What is the transtheoretical model for change, what are the stages and their characteristics? 12