HEALTH AND CHRONIC ILLNESS

Health and Chronic Illness

Health and Chronic Illness

Introduction

Often an individual takes his health, or the absence of illness, disease, or injury for granted until an individual become sick. It is then that an individual recognize the worth of being without ailments. It is then that an individual appreciate feeling strong, robust and healthy. Being healthy and, being physically and mentally sound, is associated with one's satisfaction with life.

Health and Chronic Illness

Developmental health psychologists - specialists who study the interaction of age, behavior, and health and gerontologists - specialists in the science of aging -- are piecing together the details of diet, exercise, personality and behavior that make it practical to shoot for 80, or even 120. People approaching middle age can expect a bonus of several years of extra living thanks to continuing medical progress against cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Specialists in the field of aging, developmental health psychologists, and gerontologist, concentrate their area of study on determining health status over the course of adulthood, and determining the nature and origin of age-related diseases. They are also concerned with describing the effects of health on behavior and describing the effects of behavior on health. The goals of these specialists are: prevention of diseases, preservation of health, and improved quality of health for those suffering from disability and disease.

For an individual health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease, illness or infirmity. It is important to distinguish between disease and health. Disease is the prognosis of a particular disorder with a specific cause and characteristic symptoms. On the other hand, illness is the existence of disease and, the individual's perception of and response to the disease. Whether in sickness or in health age and the progression through life play a large part in our health and our developmental status. The role of age in regard to health is listed below:

· Most young adults are in good health and experience few limitations or disabilities. Nearly 71% of adults older than 65 living in a community report their health as excellent, good, or very good.

· Health and mobility decline with age especially after age 80. Disease is more common among older adults.

· Most of the diseases of later life have their origin years earlier.

· Income is related to perception of health.

· The older the individual, the more difficult it is to recover from stress.

· As an individual age, acute conditions decrease in frequency while chronic conditions increase in frequency. 4/5 of adults over 65 have at least one chronic condition.

· Older adults may have multiple disorders and sensory deficits that may interact. Treatments may also interact.

· In contrast to younger age groups, the elderly are likely to suffer from physical health problems that are multiple, chronic, and treatable but not curable. Acute illness may be superimposed on these conditions.

For an Individual although there are factors that affect our health and the aging process that are not in our control, In a ...