Health is a condition of emotional, physical and mental well-being where infirmity and illness are absent. A person who values health includes people with high self-image who believe that they are physically and emotionally in control. Health involves the person’s ability to live an active, satisfying and healthy life. It also involves a person’s response to the environment and to other people. In essence, health is subjective.
The field of public health is the study of how diseases affect human health. Public health sciences seeks to promote health by educating the general public about the illness and how to prevent or reduce the spread of diseases through education, research and surveillance. There are many sectors that fall under the public health umbrella. These sectors include nutrition and food safety, child development, immunology and epidemiology, public health, medical practice, epidemiology, and preventive medicine.
Older adults are those that are healthy and can survive without any problems. However, as we age, there are various health problems that afflict older adults. Some of these health problems include chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis, hypertension, anxiety, depression, anxiety, diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive impairment. All these health problems have a negative impact on older adults because their well-being declines. Hence, older adults need to have greater knowledge and understanding about how to maintain their well-being.
Prevention is better than cure. This adage holds good in fighting ill health problems. Therefore, steps should be taken to avert ill health conditions before they rear their ugly heads. Public health experts advise against relying too much on traditional healthcare systems when combating ill health issues. Various health care systems such as hospitals, clinics, and health care providers can provide quality health care services but sometimes they fail to prevent and treat certain health problems.
It is important for everyone to be aware of their well-being. This is because good health care will enhance overall health. This includes ensuring that the basic needs of an individual are met such as proper nutrition, regular exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. It also includes preventing and treating any health issues that can deteriorate one’s health. This can include preventing the development of HIV or acquiring diabetes.
A combination of preventative measures and effective treatment is needed to maintain one’s health status. This is achieved by using state-of-the-art tools such as laboratory tests, epidemiological studies, and statistical data analysis. By identifying the determinants that affect one’s health status, public health professionals can design the right programs that will address the determinants and consequently improve one’s chances of staying healthy and live a long life.