HEALTH PROMOTION

Health Promotion

Health Promotion Health, as the World Health Organization (WHO) defines it, is the state of complete physical, social and mental well being and not just the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of highest attainable standard of health is considered as one of the fundamental rights of every human being (Sanjiv, K., & Preetha, G., 2012). It is our responsibility as health care providers to educate our patient populations so that they might achieve optimum health ideally through health promotion throughout their life span.

Disease prevention is a critical element in our nursing practice. Disease promotion has three phases: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary prevention focuses on the pre disease state by actions designed to promote general optimum health or by the specific protection of human beings against illnesses or establishing barriers against agents in the environment. Secondary prevention is the area of early diagnosis followed by prompt and thorough treatment. At the point where damage has been suffered, where in there is a disability or defect, tertiary prevention is instituted with therapy or rehabilitation (Disease, 2009).

As an example of how disease promotion may play out across the life span, cardiac disease is evaluated. In 2001, 10.5% of high school students were overweight. Fewer than 22% consumed the recommended number of servings per day of fruits, vegetables, and milk. Weight and poor nutritional status will increase the risk for heart disease in adulthood. Combine poor dietary habits with a more sedentary lifestyle with increase television and video or computer game time per day the students are compounding their risk as adults. It is imperative for school nurses, office nurses and public health nurses to be committed to the primary prevention of heart disease by promoting and developing the significance of weight, diet and activity in children. At an early age, it is important to develop good eating habits, and incorporate an active lifestyle. The vulnerable ages for tobacco uses are 10-18 years, when most users start smoking, chewing, or dipping and become addicted to the substance (Health 20009). It is significant that the nursing community as a whole works with adults to minimize tobacco use before young children can be influenced, but also to be an active advocate in the dangers of tobacco use in our youth. The earlier education starts for healthy diet, activity, and tobacco avoidance, the more likely these choices become a lifestyle over the lifespan.

As the patient ages, in spite of a primary health promotion they may still develop heart disease. There are factors the patient has no control over, so it is essential that nurses in all areas are aware of these increase risks so that we might activate secondary promotion as quickly as possible. Age in and of itself is a risk, the older you are, the higher the risk of heart disease. Certain ethnic groups are at higher risk, as nurses, we need to be particularly conscious of this when teaching our African American and Latino patients. Patients who have a family history of another family member with heart disease are at an increased risk (Doria 2002). Nurses can promote a secondary prevention by encouraging certain behaviors, regular physician visits as directed by their physician. Blood pressure checks are a tool that can be done in ones own home while giving the patient and their physician an opportunity to monitor the patient regularly in real time. The patient should be encouraged to monitor, record, and be given parameters for notifying their physician.. Dietary considerations might be enforced with a visit with a nutritionist. This opportunity can teach the patient and their caregivers the significance, of reading labels, and being aware of sodium intake. In spite of nurses at all levels best efforts in primary and secondary promotion, there are times when patients will suffer cardiac disease and potentially myocardial infarction. It is the nurses in the cardiac areas, physician's offices, and public health areas to promote rehabilitation as quickly as tolerated safely by the patient. Tertiary promotion may include pharmaceutical treatment which requires educational pieces for safe administration and cardiac rehabilitation. Rehab should be physician-supervised and is typically three times a week. Less than 20 percent of candidates for cardiac rehabilitation actually participate in structured exercise programs. Cardiac rehabilitation is the most underused treatment in America, according to some. The combination of not enough physicians recommending it, and even if the recommendation is made; the patient not understanding the difference it can make in longevity (Cardiology 2011). Progress should be carefully monitored. It is of utmost importance we as nursing professionals encourage the physicians we are working with to increase the percentage of patients they refer for cardiac rehab. It is then our responsibility to assist our patients and their families in understanding the importance of following the prescription for cardiac rehabilitation to prolong their lives and created a healthier existence.

It becomes apparent as we look at health promotion how we as health care providers at any level can impact the primary, secondary and tertiary health promotion across the life span of all of our patients.

References
Disease Prevention. (2009). In (Ed.), Key Concepts in Public Health . Retrieved June 22, 2012, from http://www.credoreference.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/entry.do?id=10328028.

Health Promotion in Schools. (2009). In (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology. Retrieved June 22, 2012, from http://www.credoreference.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/entry.do?id=9223784.

Sanjiv, K., & Preetha, G. (2012). Health Promotion: An Effective Tool for Global Health. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, Retrieved June 22, 2012. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.library.gcu.edu:2048/pmc/articles/PMC3326808/?tool=pmcentrez.

Doria, A. (2002). Genetics and heart disease. Diabetes Forecast, 55, 71-74. Retrieved on June 25, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com/docview/212619243?accountid=7374.

Cardiology; cardiac rehabilitation improves heart rate recovery, boosts survival. (2011). Physician Law Weekly, 1298. Retrieved on June 25, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com/docview/896426923?accountid=7374