Health unit 1

 Part 6

Classification of Illness

Acute Illness

Acute i generally develops suddenly and last a short period of time.

Some acute illness are serious and life threatening .

Chronic Illness

It is a long term health condition that may not have any cure.

eg. COPD(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Diabeties

Terminal Illness

Sometimes called as life threatening illness.

It is a disease that can not be cured or treated.

Age related Illness

Age associated illness means disease of elderly.

Illness behaviour

It is a complex process .

It involves the ways person monitor their bodies , define and interprete their symptoms, take remedial measures and use health care services.

Stages of Illness behaviour

The people generally pass through five stages of Illness.

Suchman (1979) described these stages

Symptoms Experience

It is a first stage in which a person comes to believe that something is wrong.

Patients can experience,pain, rashes,fever and cough.

At the end of this stage he is able to make decision that is symptom of Illness. It includes ABC

A     physical symptoms

B     Cognitive aspect

C    Emotional response

Assumption of sick role

The individual accept the sick role.

People do self treatment and delay to coming contact with health care professional.

It result in emotional changes such as depression.

Medical care Contact

At this stage the client acknowledges the illness and seeks to explain the causes symptom of disease.

After knowing some client seeks medical treatment,but other start denyed

 the diagnosis.

Assuming dependent rate

This stage  is characterized by the patients decision to accept the diagnosis and follow treatment plan.

Some people want to get information about the disease treatment, other prefer the physician.

After entering the dependent stage the client has to adjust disruption in daily activities which can effect the client.

Recovery or Rehabilitation

During this stage the individual or patient start gaining his/her original health status.

The changes vary dependent on the nature and duration of Illness.

Emotional Response to illness

 The patients who is suffering illness is under many emotional pressure.

The nurses must be able to recognise the sign and symptoms of stress an identity coping mechanisms.

Fear

Anxiety

Stress