Human experience Across the Health-Illness Continuum

Health-Illness Continuum
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Health-Illness Continuum
The health-illness continuum is a model that highlights the spectrum of wellness for an individual. The model constitutes a neutral point representing the healthy person's status, but when one moves to the right, he undergoes awareness, education, and growth in health (Fig.1). On the other hand, when one moves to the left, he undergoes signs, symptoms, and death. The health-illness spectrum is a guide to realizing quality health and excellent patients care.
The health-illness continuum is a crucial model that abhors gaps in the delivery of healthcare services to patients. The continuum provides a clear picture of the wellness spectrum, and the necessary response requires at each point of the spectrum to improve health. The continuum serves as a guide and a warning for both the medics and the patients about the level of wellness and illness and the consequence of healthcare gaps (Frenn & Whitehead, 2020). Consequently, all parties, especially the medics, understand the level of wellness of their patients. On the other hand, the patients also understand their wellness and illness levels; hence can seek medical attention based on such knowledge. The continuum improves the quality of patient care because it provides a clear roadmap of the care that the patient needs and missed in any previous visit to the hospital. Additionally, the continuum promotes quality patient care, creating awareness among the patients and the medics of the level of care ideal for each level of wellness and illness (Frenn & Whitehead, 2020). For instance, the continuum helps a person at an illness level at which signs of illness emerge to immediately seek medical redress to avoid transitioning to symptoms level of illness.
A mastery of the health-illness continuum will enable a health care provider to promote the value and dignity of patients besides enhancing human flourishing. The health-illness continuum provides every stage of a person's health and illness. Therefore, the model prevents skipping necessary healthcare steps while treating the patients, promoting paid medical fees and healthcare quality. In this case, the continuum prevents readmissions (Frenn & Whitehead, 2020). The diligence of the medics in following through all the requisite levels of illness promotes human dignity because it reflects adherence to the Hippocratic Oath and promoting human dignity. Adopting the model in a treatment setting also promotes human flourishing because healthy people advance human flourishing in many dimensions. A good understanding of the health-illness continuum guides the registered nurses on t...