Chapter 1

Wellness

A deliberate lifestyle choice characterized by personal responsibility and optimal enhancement of physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Health Belief Model (HBM)

A model of behavioral change that focuses on the individual's attitudes and beliefs.

Transtheoretical Model

A model of behavioral change that focuses on the individual's decision making; it states that an individual progresses through a sequence of six stages as he or she makes a change in behavior.

Health

A state of complete well being which includes these Dimensions: Physical Social Environmental Intellectual Psychological Spiritual

Self-Affirmation Theory

Affirmations can improve integrity, problem solving, self worth, and self regulation. They also are effective in encouraging behavioral change. According to this theory, thinking about core values, important personal strengths, or valued relationships can provide reassurance and reinforce self-worth.

Locus of Control

An individual's belief about the sources of power and influence over his or her life.

Protection

Measures that an individual can take when participating in risky behavior to prevent injury or unwanted risks.

Self Efficacy

Belief in one's ability to accomplish a goal or change a behavior.

Motivational Interviewing

Health professionals and counselors and coaches use this which was developed by psychologists William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, to inspire individuals, regardless of their enthusiasm for change, to move toward improvements that could make their lives better.

Occupational Health

In the coming decades, you'll devote your time and energy to your career. Ideally, you will contribute your unique talents and skills to work that is rewarding in many ways-intellectually, emotionally, creatively, financially. Yet every job presents physical, psychological, and mental challenges that can affect your well-being. College provides the opportunity for you to choose and prepare for a career that is consistent with your personal values and beliefs. Now is also the time to build the health habits and coping skills that will enable you to balance work and other endeavors throughout your life.

Prevention

Information and support offered to help healthy people identify their health risks, reduce stressors, prevent potential medical problems, and enhance their well-being.

Psychological Health

Like physical well-being, Psychological health is more than the absence of problems or illness. It refers to both our emotional and mental states. In other words, our feelings and thoughts. It involves awareness and acceptance of a wide range of feelings of oneself and others, as well as the ability to to express emotion, to function independently, and to cope with the challenges of daily stressors.

Social Health

Refers to the ability to interact effectively with other people and the social environment, to develop satisfying interpersonal relationships, and to fulfill social roles. It involves participating in and contributing to your community, living in harmony with fellow human beings, and practicing healthy behaviors. Health educators are placing greater emphasis on social health in its broadest sense as they expand the traditional individualistic concept of health to include the complex interrelationships between one person's health and the health of the community and environment. This change in perspective has given rise to a new emphasis on health promotion.

Reinforcing Factors

Rewards, encouragement, and recognition that influence our behavior in the short run.

Spiritual Health

Spiritually healthy individuals identify their own basic purpose in life; learn how to experience love, joy, and fulfillment; and help themselves and others achieve their full potential. As they devote themselves to others' needs more than their own, their spiritual development produces a sense of greater meaning in their lives.

Self Determination Theory

The approach developed several decades ago by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, focuses on whether an individual lacks motivation, is externally motivated, or is intrinsically motivated.

Predisposing Factors

The beliefs, values, attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions that influence our behavior.

Intellectual Health

The brain is the only organ capable of self awareness. Every day, the mind is used to gather, process, and act on information; to think through your values, to make decisions, set goals, and figure out how to handle a problem or challenge. This dimension of health refers to the ability to think and learn from life experiences, your openness to new ideas, and your capacity to question and evaluate information. Throughout your life, you'll use your critical thinking skills, including your ability to evaluate health information, to safeguard your well-being.

Enabling Factors

The skills, resources, and physical and mental capabilities that shape our behavior.

Physical Health

The state of being hale, sound or whole, in mind, body, or soul, especially the state of being free from physical disease or pain. More recent definitions conceive health as "an optimal state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Not a static state but a process dependent on the decisions we make and the behaviors we we practice every day. To ensure optimal physical health, we must feed our bodies nutritiously, exercise them regularly, avoid harmful behaviors and substances, watch for early signs of sickness, and protect ourselves from accidents.

Environmental Health

You live in a physical and social setting that can affect every aspect of your health. This dimension of health refers to the impact your world has on your well-being. It involves protecting yourself from dangers in the air, the water and the soil as well as in products you use and working to preserve the environment itself.

Social Norm

a behavior or an attitude that a particular group expects, values, and enforces.

Health Promotion

any planned combination of educational, political, environmental, regulatory, or organizational mechanisms that support actions and conditions of living conducive to the health of individuals, groups, and communities.

Dimensions of Health

physical, social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, environmental