Health, wellness and Illness

Nurses' understanding of health and wellness largely determinesthe scope and nature of nursing practice. Clients' health beliefs also influence their health practices. Some people think of health and wellness (or wellbeing) as the same thing or, at the very least, as accompanying one another. However, health may not always accompany wellbeing. A person who has a terminal illness may have a sense of wellbeing; conversely, another person may lack a sense of wellbeing yet be in a state of good health. For many years the concept of disease was the yardstick by which health was measured. In the late nineteenth century the 'how' of disease (pathogenesis) was the major concern of health professionals. The twentieth century focused on finding cures for diseases. Currently health care providers are increasing their emphasis on preventing illness, and promoting health and wellness for individuals, families and communities.