Name: illness types and the sick role
Uploaded: 2023-12-28T10:51:16.000Z
Duration: 1 min 17 s
Channel: JoVE

Illness is broadly classified into acute and chronic. Acute illness has an abrupt onset, rapid progression, and short duration&#8212;for example, bronchitis and fracture.
Conversely, chronic illness develops slowly and persists for an extended period&#8212;for example, diabetes and hypertension.
Illness behavior describes the state in which the individual feels ill and behaves accordingly.
Going further let us take a look at the four different stages of illness behavior.
Expressing symptoms is the first stage in which individuals feel deviation from their definition of health and try to relieve with self-care.
When self-care is not sufficient, an individual seeks medical help for diagnosis and treatment and enters the second stage, assuming the sick role.
In the third stage, assuming a dependent role, an individual tries to accept the diagnosis, follow the treatment, and move towards achieving health.
The last stage is recovery and rehabilitation, in which an individual is expected to relinquish dependency, and start performing routine activities, and live independently.

classification of illness

Classification of Illness

The meaning of illness is individualized to each person who experiences an alteration in health. In contrast, disease is a medical term indicating a pathological change in the structure and function of the body or mind. It is a condition that has specific symptoms and boundaries.
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person&#39;s level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe and has a short duration. The symptoms appear abruptly, are intense, and often subside after a relatively brief period. Chronic illness usually lasts longer than six months. In addition, the individual may experience severe relapses that could be fatal and periods of maximum functionality with the characteristic remission and exacerbation.
Illness behavior involves how an individual monitors their body, describes and interprets their symptoms to take curative action, and uses the healthcare system. The stages of illness behavior include:
<ul>
	<li>&#8226; Symptoms experience</li>
	<li>&#8226;&#160;Assumption of the sick role</li>
	<li>&#8226;&#160;Medical care contact</li>
	<li>&#8226;&#160;Dependent client role</li>
	<li>&#8226;&#160;Recovery and rehabilitation</li>
</ul>
Symptoms Experience
During this stage, a person identifies physical limitations or sensations but does not suspect a particular diagnosis. This stage involves physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects, such as a person&#39;s perception of pain, lump, or anxiety.
Assumption of Sick Role
Here, the person accepts the sick role if symptoms continue and become severe. At this point, the illness becomes a social phenomenon, and the person seeks confirmation from their family and social group regarding their symptoms.
Medical Care Contact
At this stage, the person seeks advice from health professionals to validate illness, explain symptoms, reassure, or predict the outcome and treatment.
Dependent Patient Role
The person relies on healthcare professionals to ease symptoms and adopt the dependent role in a healthcare institution, home, or community setting. The person must also adjust to the disruption of a daily schedule.
Recovery/Rehabilitation
During this stage, the person is free from the dependent role and resumes former roles and responsibilities. Recovery duration in acute illness is generally short and rapid, so it is relatively easy to return to their former lifestyle. In contrast, recovery time in long-term illness is long and more complex, which requires therapy to learn to make significant adjustments in functioning.

The meaning of illness is individualized to each person who experiences an alteration in health. In contrast, disease is a medical term indicating a ...

Education

JoVE Core

Nursing

Unit 1

Introduction to Health

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

illness types and the sick role

Illness can be grouped by how long it lasts and by how a person responds to it. A disease is a medical term for a change in the structure or function of the body or mind. Illness is the personal response to that disease, and it changes a person’s level of functioning from a previous state.

Two main illness types are acute and chronic. Acute illness is severe and short in duration. Its symptoms start suddenly, are intense, and often fade after a relatively brief time. Chronic illness usually lasts longer than six months. It may include severe relapses that can be fatal, along with periods of maximum function during remission and exacerbation.

Illness behavior describes how a person notices body changes, explains symptoms, and decides whether to seek care. It also includes how the person uses the healthcare system. This process often follows a series of stages.

The first stage is symptoms experience. In this stage, a person notices pain, a lump, anxiety, or another physical limit, but does not think of a specific diagnosis. The next stage is assumption of the sick role. If symptoms continue and become severe, the person accepts that role and may look to family and social groups for confirmation.

The next stage is medical care contact. Here, the person seeks help from health professionals to confirm illness, explain symptoms, offer reassurance, or predict treatment and outcome. After that comes the dependent client role. The person relies on healthcare professionals to ease symptoms and must adjust to a disrupted daily schedule in a healthcare setting, at home, or in the community.

The final stage is recovery and rehabilitation. At this point, the person leaves the dependent role and returns to former roles and responsibilities. Recovery from acute illness is usually short and rapid, so returning to a regular lifestyle is often easier. Recovery from long-term illness is more complex and takes longer, and therapy may be needed to help the person make major changes in functioning.

Illness Types and the Sick Role

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key terms and concepts

Learn how illness is classified as acute or chronic and how people move through illness behavior, from symptoms to recovery and rehabilitation.

Illness Types and the Sick Role | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Nursing offers concise animated lessons on nursing practices, covering health systems, nursing organizations, and health concepts. It includes practical communication, infection prevention, and nursing fundamentals, providing students with a clear understanding of nursing principles.

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Illness Types and the Sick Role

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