How The Concept of “Health” Has Changed Overtime Essay Paper
Discuss how the concept of “health” has changed overtime. Discuss how the concept has evolved to include wellness, illness, and overall well-being. How has health promotion changed over time? Why is it important that nurses implement health promotion interventions based on evidence-based practice? How The Concept of “Health” Has Changed Overtime Essay Paper
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With the dominance of medicine over the past two hundred years many historical health concepts have gone through various changes. The definition of health is dependent on one’s perspective, be it lay, professional or from influences of specific cultures or social ideals and health policies of a particular time or place (Fleming & Parker 2012, p.30, Naidoo & Wills 2000). An exploration through history will reflect on the health philosophies of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Middle Age’s concept of quarantine and isolation and the religious theories of disease including a brief insight into the renaissance. Subsequently, a discussion of health concepts of the past two centuries including 19th century sanitary reform, the dominance How The Concept of “Health” Has Changed Overtime Essay Paper
The Greek scholar Hippocrates’ (c.460BC–c.370BC), defined the humoral conception of health, [the Four Humours], with the balance of these being responsible for health, interacting together with lifestyle and environment, including individual constitution, clean air, diet and clean water. He noted in his writings, regarding the workers and slaves, that neglect of diet affected their health, yet, work was not considered an influencing factor on humoral balance (Tountas 2009, p.186-187, Fleming & Parker 2012, p.28, Turner 2000, p.13, Krieger, pp.43-44, Noviik and morrow, 2008, p.5). Others such as Empedocles, Aristotle and later Galen extended Hippocratic humoral theory to link other elements (Hays 2009, pp.9-13). No matter which variation, these theories were an attempt to rationalise individual incidents of sickness and the differences in health status in the populace in relation to ‘underlying principles and environmental exposures’ (Krieger, p.46). According to Krieger (2011, p.47) Greek politics had influence stating ‘not only nature but politics informed the conceptualization of “balance” in Greek humoral theory’. Tountas (2009, p.187) noted that ancient Greek physicians were itinerant craftsmen, earning their reputation for skill from the successes of previous visits (Veith 1980, p.532). The diversity of their practice included leech craft, magic and what is known today as allied health professions including dietetics, nutrition, occupational therapy,How The Concept of “Health” Has Changed Overtime Essay Paper
How Health has changed over the Years Ideas about health have changed in two main ways: firstly, the accessibility of services and their funding; and secondly, the methods of providing healthcare. Between the years of 1945 and 1951, a labour government established an extensive health and welfare system. After passing the National Health Service Act in 1946, the healthcare system went into affect in 1948. The Act said that all inhabitants had the right to access free healthcare. Before this change most people were unable to access healthcare because they couldn’t afford it. However, the new system became too expensive for the government, so to resolve this they brought in charges for things like prescriptions, dentures and glasses. …read more.
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To introduce this idea they allowed other hospitals to become trusts, this means they have control over the finance given by the government instead of local authorities. Local authorities (responsible for providing health care) ‘buy’ health care for their patients from these trusts. Methods of providing health care have changed in many ways. One example is the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics used to be used to cure everything, even the slightest cough or cold. Antibiotics only take affect against bacteria; they don’t work on viruses (colds etc). Because of the constant use of the antibiotics, bacteria became ‘antibiotic resistant’, this means they have adapted and found ways to survive the affects of antibiotics. …read more.
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therefore antibiotics are more likely to work. Also they had to explain that antibiotics don’t cure viruses. Another example of how methods have changed is in baby care. Mothers used to be told to lay their babies on their stomachs in the cot; this was to avoid the babies from choking on sick in their sleep. But, research has shown that 60% more babies who lay on their stomachs than backs, died from cot death. This is probably because of the heat they create from having their faces on the mattress. Mothers are now advised to lay their babies on their backs for more positive results. ?? ?? ?? ?? …read more. How The Concept of “Health” Has Changed Overtime Essay Paper
