Health Promotion
Ramona Hernandez
Grand Canyon University

Health Promotion
Changes over the centuries have affected the health of every individual in one way or another. The continuously changing world has developed new discoveries in technology over the past century, which has decreased the desire of individuals to be physically active. The current trend for most children, teenagers, and some adults are watching television, playing video games such as the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and using Apple’s I pod touch, just to name a few. This advancement in technology has decreased the activeness of nearly every individual that partakes in these non-physical activities. Although these gaming systems are mentally challenging, they decrease the drive for physical activity level in these individuals. The choice to participate in video games and watching television for hours at a time and choosing not to take time to be physically active is not a reason alone that depreciates the health of each individual; this also includes their eating habits. Readily available foods such as junk food, processed canned food and fast foods also assist in the reduction of each individual’s health. The consumptions of these unhealthy foods and the decrease in physical activity pose risks on the human body, increasing their chances of developing diseases and illness. According to the Journal of School Health a study was conducted regarding the risks for developing type 2 diabetes in school aged children, it concluded that “Children who reported watching TV/playing video games 2 or more hours/day were 73% more likely to be at risk” [ (Urrutia-Rojas & Menchaca, 2006) ] for developing type 2 diabetes. The study also concluded that “...There is a need to apply screening strategies that guide the development of appropriate primary prevention efforts” [ (Urrutia-Rojas & Menchaca, 2006) ].
Primary prevention is one of three levels of health promotion. Utilizing these individuals as an example to explain each level of health promotion in association with diabetes will better assist in understanding the importance of health promotion, and the risks it imposes on the development of disease in individuals that partake in non-physical activities. Primary prevention for these particular individuals would include, assessing these individual learning styles and educating them on healthy eating habits which include; how to prepare snacks and or meals, how healthy eating affects the body, educating on the risks and benefits of eating healthy. Educating would also include information about the importance of exercise and how it declines the risks of developing illness or diseases, and in this particular case, how exercise would decrease the risks of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. If primary prevention fails and the individual develops symptoms that are related to type 2 diabetes mellitus, then next level of health promotion would then be activated. Secondary prevention is the second level of health promotion; it becomes active when individuals are at the highest risk for developing, or are in the early stages of a particular disease or illness. Encouraging individuals to participate in health screenings could possibly detect the early stages of diabetes which in turn could assist in the immediate treatment and eliminate the disease, causing little or no negative effects on the human body. Although technology may have some downfalls it does have many good advantages. In The American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, it is being researched that ACE-inhibitors may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus [ (Solski & Longyhore, 2008) ]. “As more evidence supports the benefits of ACE inhibitors in preventing diabetes and delaying the progression of impaired fasting glucose to diabetes, ACE inhibitors may become the agents of choice for patients with impaired fasting glucose and concurrent hypertension” [ (Solski & Longyhore, 2008) ]. In secondary prevention there is an off chance that one may be required to take medication until their health has improved and the disease is eliminated. This would also require an individual to make life changing modifications to help decrease the risk of reoccurrence of the disease. If the disease is advanced and unable to be reversed the next level of health promotion is implemented.
The third level of health promotion is the tertiary level. In this level the main goal, is to prevent further complication of the disease and decreasing the risk of developing other diseases that may further complicate the current disease or illness. With diabetes one must take exceptional care of themselves. If diabetics have poor control over their glucose they run the risk of developing other diseases such as neuropathy, retinopathy and they may also have the need to be hospitalized for poor control. This may in turn put an individual at greater risk for developing other complications, such as hospital acquired illness and further jeopardize an individual’s wellness.
In the Nursing Standard journal it states that “Health promotion aims to allow people to increase their control over their health and the factors that affect it, with the ultimate aim of enhancing health and its determinants (WHO 1986, 2005) [ (Bennett, Perry, & Lawrence, 2009) ]. The goal of promoting health in a world that has great advances in technology is of great importance, for the simple fact that there are a majority of individuals that are not physically active and pose the risk of developing diseases and illnesses. Health promotion may begin at the level of communities such as health departments and school nurses. Nurses that are community based, educate individuals on the importance of exercising and eating healthy. The health department utilizes nurses to administer immunizations to help prevent illness or disease; these nurses not only administer immunizations but also educate the community on health related topics so that they may better care for themselves and decrease their chances of developing an illness or disease.
In conclusion, it is important that in our society today, where technology has great influence on every individual, that we do not forget to care for ourselves. Although technology can be a wonderful thing, it can also assist in imposing health risks on an individual if we spend too much time being inactive individuals.

References

Bennett, C., Perry, J., & Lawrence, Z. (2009). Promoting health in the primary care. Nursing Standard , 58-60.

Solski, L. V., & Longyhore, D. S. (2008). Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus with angiotensis-converting-enzyme inhibitors. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy , 935-940.

Urrutia-Rojas, X., & Menchaca, J. (2006). Prevalence of Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in School Children. Journal of School Health , 189-194.