Tag: readings

Many people will live with a chronic illness eventually. Some of these diseases affect one body system, and some may affect multiple. The medical and health professions may still be learning about some of these groups of conditions.

Cardiovascular diseases – these are diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels. The most common of these is coronary artery disease caused by the narrowing or blockage of the arteries which supply blood to the heart. Others include: heart failure, high blood pressure (hypertension), arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, and even cerebrovascular disease or stroke. Learn more here. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease.

Autoimmune disorders – this is a group of several different disorders in which the immune system of the body attacks its own cells. The symptoms may vary based on which cells are being attacked. Some examples include Type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and others. Women are more at risk of having these disorders. https://www.healthline.com/health/autoimmune-disorders

Respiratory disorders – these diseases affect the respiratory system and can include things like asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and so on. In some cases, these disorders may be triggered by environmental factors – this includes infectious diseases like flu and RSV, as well as tobacco smoke, allergens, occupational exposures and so on. https://www.healthline.com/health/common-respiratory-diseases#common-respiratory-diseases

Diabetes – there are several types of diabetes, including type I and II, as well as gestational. In general, these diseases happen because of too high blood sugar, though causes vary from type to type. Treatments are available for diabetes, and in some cases, it can be prevented if detected in the early stages like prediabetes. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7104-diabetes

Chronic kidney disease – this disorder results from damage to the kidneys, which will be unable to filter the blood effectively. It can result from people having other chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, or family or personal history. When the kidneys no longer function properly, people may need to get regular kidney dialysis. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease

Alzheimer’s disease – this disorder is the most common form of dementia. The biggest risk factor for developing it is advanced age. Common symptoms include memory loss, difficulty completing familiar tasks, and changes in mood, personality, and behavior. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm

HIV – infection with the human immunodeficiency virus has become a chronic disease. Many people live long healthy lives while HIV positive. There are medications available to suppress the virus to very low levels, as well as prophylactic medications people can take to prevent infection. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/about/index.html

How would you define health? There are several interconnected and related
dimensions of wellness that are dynamic – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938. We can describe them as physical, emotional, mental/intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, financial, and occupational.

What makes your health better or worse? All of the factors that influence
your health for better or worse, including your genetic code, your behaviors, and your environment, are called the determinants of health – https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Determinants-of-Health

Social determinants of health – https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm

To learn more about how social determinants of health can impact our lives,
watch this movie (this is optional). Go to the BMCC Library website – https://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/library/ and click on Databases. Select Video Databases, then select Kanopy Streaming Videos. If you are not on campus, you will have to log in with your BMCC log-on (the same credentials you use to log into computers on campus). When you are in the Kanopy database, search for Unnatural Causes. Your result will say Collection on it. Watch the movie titled In Sickness and in Wealth.

Is the United States a healthy country? Many studies show that the United States spends a lot of money on average per person, but that health outcomes tend to be worse than similarly economically developed countries around the world. There are also many differences among individuals in health status in the US based on historic and current discrimination. Read more here – https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/health-rankings.

Our government and many health-related organizations put together a plan every 10 years to improve the health of the nation. This decade’s plan is called HealthyPeople 2030 – https://health.gov/healthypeople/about

Some of the main goals and target areas that Healthy People 2030 focuses on are:

• Attain healthy, thriving lives and well-being free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death.
• Eliminate health disparities, achieve health equity, and attain health literacy to improve the health and well-being of all.
• Create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all.
• Promote healthy development, healthy behaviors, and well-being across all life stages.
• Engage leadership, key constituents, and the public across multiple sectors to take action and design policies that improve the health and well-being of all.

From: https://health.gov/healthypeople/about/healthy-people-2030-framework

It is important that we can measure how well the nation is achieving these goals. There are overall health and well-being measures, like life expectancy – https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/overall-health-and-well-being-measures; social determinants of health – https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health; and leading health indicators – https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/leading-health-indicators.

We each have a unique understanding of our sexuality and it includes a number of different aspects of our lives, including relationships and intimacy, sexual health and reproduction, sexual identity and others. Sexuality is something we have and develop throughout our lifetime. Look over the link for other definitions related to sexuality.

One holistic model of sexuality was created by Dr. Dennis Dailey and it’s called the 5 circles of sexuality.

Read more about each circle of sexuality here – https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/sexualhealth/circlesofsexuality.pdf.

Content warning: suicide and abuse

There are certain times when mental illness becomes national news – when a celebrity or someone with a high profile mentions they are suffering, when someone in the public eye dies by suicide, and when there are news of mass shootings. While it is important that people speak up about and normalize their mental health, just like any other dimensions of their health, the fact is that a societal stigma against people with mental illness persists.

Dr. Freidman writes about mental illness stigma and why it needs to be a national priority here – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brick-brick/201405/the-stigma-mental-illness-is-making-us-sicker .

Stereotypes about people suffering with mental illness persist and can lead to a delay in people seeking help, social isolation, and a higher risk of suicide. Check your understanding about mental illness with this quiz.

You can help combat stigma by speaking up when you hear harmful stereotypes about people with mental illness, and by reaching out to those in your life who may be in need of support.

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, moods and behaviors. Find out more about mental health basics here https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm. Make sure to click through Mental Health Basics, Types of Mental Illness, and Fast Facts.

There are many classified mental disorders – these are described in detail in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the DSM-V. Some of the more common ones include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many others.

Mental disorders are quite common in the United States – about one in five adults live with mental illness. It is also likely that people are struggling with their mental health more in the times of living with a pandemic, economic uncertainty, and other big challenges. Read more about the prevalence of these conditions here at the National Institute of Mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml. Some more facts are found here – https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers . It’s important to note that many people living with mental illness do not get treatment. Also, note that people who are homeless, incarcerated, and suffering substance use disorder are more likely to have mental illness.

Some of the causes and risk factors of mental illness may be traumatic life events, biological factors like age and sex, heredity (family history), chronic health conditions like diabetes or cancer, and feeling socially isolated.

Treatment for mental illness is possible. There are many professionals who can help. If you want to seek help, this guide can help – https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/tips-for-talking-with-your-health-care-provider/index.shtml . You can start with your primary care provider, and they may then refer you to a specialist. This may be a psychiatrist – a medical doctor who can prescribe appropriate medications, should they be necessary. It may also be a psychologist, licensed counselor, or social worker, depending on the type of help you may need.