Lifestyle Medicine
Many diseases and illnesses that are present today are a result of unhealthy lifestyle behaviours e.g. smoking, overeating, physical inactivity.Lifestyle medicine is a proactive approach to preventing diseases and maintaining a healthy lifestyle by adopting healthy practices and abstaining from unhealthy behaviours.
Health and Health Determinants
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 2003). There are a range of individual, social and environmental factors that may influence the health status of an individual; these are known as health determinants.
Health-Related Behaviour
A health-related behaviour has been defined as actions carried out by individuals who perceive themselves as being healthy, hoping to prevent the onset of illness and disease (Kasl & Cobb, 1966).
Mortality in Ireland
(CSO, 2012)
Recent figures show that the three primary causes of death in Ireland are
1. Cardiovascular disease
2. Cancer
3. Respiratory disease
Prevention
The majority of deaths each year are due to chronic disease, most of which are preventable. By instilling healthy behaviours and practices during youth, it will be far more cost-effective than waiting until unhealthy behaviours arise (CDC, 2009).
It was estimated that for every US dollar that is invested in school tobacco prevention programmes, almost $20 in future medical costs would be saved (Wang L.Y et. al., 2001).
As exercise specialists and Allied Health Professionals, physiotherapists may often be the first point of contact for people receiving healthcare. Physiotherapists have the opportunity to provide proactive healthcare in the form of health promotion with all patients.Lawson et. al, 2009 found that clinician-patient interaction can be central to the creation of teachable moments for health behaviour change.
It is clear that physiotherapy plays a vital role in the health status of society. However, the current role of physiotherapy can be very reactive in dealing with health in modern society. In general, people will not come into contact with a physiotherapist until they are injured or unwell. Research has shown that healthcare professionals often only treat the presenting condition without offering lifestyle advice to patients. Stafford et al (2009) found that only 36% of obese patients were advised to lose weight during regular treatment sessions. Only 48% of patients who have an obesity related co-morbidity were informed that their condition was related to their obesity.This indicates significant lost opportunities for teachable moments with patients.
Looking towards the future, health promotion and disease/disability/injury prevention are important areas where physiotherapy could potentially improve upon. This population health approach shifts the emphasis from solely treating disease/disability/injury to include promoting health and considering all the factors which influence the health of both individuals and communities. As such, the planning for physiotherapy services and physiotherapy caseload management should consider present and future population health needs in conjunction with the management of illness, injury and disability.
WHO. (2003). WHO definition of Health. Available: http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html. Last accessed 13th April 2015.
Kasl, S. V., and Cobb, S. (1996). “Health Behavior, Illness Behavior, and Sick-Role Behavior.” Archives of Environmental Health 12:246–266; 531–541
CSO. (2012). Deaths from Principal causes in the Years 2002 to 2012. Available:http://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deathsfromprincipalcausesintheyears2002to2012/. Last accessed 13th April 2015.
CDC. (2009). The Power of Prevention. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/2009-Power-of-Prevention.pdf. Last accessed 13th April 2015.
Wang L.Y, Crossett LS, Lowery R, Sussman S, Dent CW. Cost-effectiveness of a school-based tobacco use prevention program. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2001;155:1043–1050.
Lawson, P.J. & Flocke, S.A. 2009, “Teachable moments for health behavior change: A concept analysis”, Patient education and counseling, vol. 76, no. 1, pp. 25-30.
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