PROMOTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

An individual’s personal resources that aid in coping include health and energy. A health-promoting lifestyle provides these resources and buffers or cushions the impact of stressors. Lifestyles or habits that contribute to the risk of illness can be identified through a health risk appraisal. A health risk appraisal is an assessment method that is designed to promote health by examining an individual’s personal habits and recommending changes when a health risk is identified. Health risk questionnaires estimate the likelihood that a person with a given set of characteristics will become ill. It is hoped
that if people are provided with this information, they will alter their activities (eg, stop smoking, have periodic screening examinations) to improve their health. Questionnaires typically address
the following information:
1. Demographic data: age, sex, race, ethnic background
2. Personal and family history of diseases and health problems
3. Lifestyle choices
a. Eating, sleeping, exercise, smoking, drinking, sexual activity,
and driving habits
b. Stressors at home and on the job
c. Role relationships and associated stressors
4. Physical measurements
a. Blood pressure
b. Height, weight
c. Laboratory analyses of blood and urine
5. Participation in high-risk behaviors
The personal information is compared with average population risk data, and the risk factors are identified and weighted. From this analysis, the person’s risks and major health hazards are identified. Further comparisons with population data can estimate how many years will be added to the person’s life span if the suggested changes are made. However, research so far has not demonstrated that providing people with such information ensures that they will change their habits. The single most important factor for determining health status is social class, and within a social class the research suggests that the major factor influencing health is level of education (Mickler, 1997).
source : Brunner&SUddarth: Textbook of Medical Surgical Nursing