What Does Health Mean?  “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  – World Health Organization

What Does Wellness Mean?  To stay in good condition physically, mentally, and spiritually, especially through healthy choices in those areas. Having a balanced state of these parts of the psyche.  Wellness is a lifestyle choice.

What Influences our Health and Wellness  How we live our lives and the ability to deal with stress.  Conditions within our society  Affect our access to high- quality health care.  Societal Values  Shapes approaches to various ethical issues related to healthcare.

What is Stress?  Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way.  When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as stress response.  The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert.  Beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

Causes of Stress Common external causes of stress  Major life changes  Work  Relationship difficulties  Financial problems  Being too busy  Children and family Common internal causes of stress  Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self- generated:  Inability to accept uncertainty  Pessimism  Negative self-talk  Unrealistic expectations  Perfectionism  Lack of assertiveness

Health Effects of Chronic Stress  Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems.  Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process.  Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.  Many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress, including:  Pain of any kind  Heart disease  Digestive problems  Sleep problems  Depression  Obesity  Autoimmune diseases  Skin conditions, such as eczema

Access to Health Care  Cost  Health Literacy  Facilities for People with Disabilities  Income  Two Tier Health System

Ethics in Health Care

When Does Health Care Become an Ethical Issue?  When the ethically preferred response in unclear, or clear but cannot be enacted.  Situations in which each possible course of action breaches some otherwise binding moral principals.  Where the respondent perceived that the ‘right thing to do’ was also wrong in some important way.  Is the decision made damaging to someone or to some group?  Does the decision involve a choice between a good and a bad alternative?

Group Activity  In groups of 4, come up with examples of Health and Wellness challenges that exist to date.  Be sure to state why these examples are issues/problems/concerns for society.

Class Discussion/Recap  What are the underlying forces that have caused these issues/problems/challenges?  What actions can we take, individually, as a community, as a nation and globally to fix or change them?