View by:

Fundamentals

The Human Body
Death and Dying
Exercise and Fitness
Financial Issues in Health Care
Genetics

Legal and Ethical Issues
Making the Most of Health Care
Prevention
Rehabilitation

Fundamentals of health care involve knowledge about how the body works, how to take care of the body, and how the health care system works. This section covers basic anatomy of the body, including genetics, which is the foundation of what makes each person unique and also help us understand why some diseases affect only certain people. Topics that cover taking care of the body include prevention, exercise and fitness, and rehabilitation. By reading the topics within Making the Most of Health Care and those within Legal and Ethical Issues, consumers of health care will be more informed and more equipped to negotiate the often overly complex health care system. Death and dying is inevitable, and understanding what happens during the dying process can often lead to a more comfortable experience for the dying person as well as the dying person’s loved ones.

FundamentalsSections (A-Z)

Death and Dying

A century ago, most people who suffered major injuries or contracted serious infections died soon afterward. Most people expected little more than comfort measures from doctors. Today, because medical procedures commonly extend the lives of people who have serious illnesses, death is often mistakenly seen as an event that can be deferred indefinitely. However, death is an intrinsic part of life, and talking about the likely outcomes of illness, including death and dying, is an important part of health care.

Introduction to Death and Dying
Time Course of Dying
Choices to Make Before Death
Treatment Options at the End of Life
Hospice Care
Symptoms During a Fatal Illness
Financial Concerns at the End of Life
Legal and Ethical Concerns at the End of Life
Acceptance of Death and Dying
When Death Is Near
When Death Occurs

Exercise and Fitness

Regular exercise makes the heart stronger and the lungs fitter, enabling the cardiovascular system to deliver more oxygen to the body with every heartbeat and the pulmonary system to increase the maximum amount of oxygen that the lungs can take in. Exercise also does the following:

Benefits of Exercise
Starting an Exercise Program
Exercising Safely
Choosing the Right Exercise
Exercise in the Elderly

Financial Issues in Health Care

In the United States, health care is technologically advanced but expensive. Health care costs were about $3 trillion dollars in 2014 ( 1 ). For decades, the amount of money spent on health care has increased more than the overall economy has grown. In the United States, the percentage of GDP spent on health care is substantially higher than that in any other nation. (GDP is the total market value of goods and services produced within the borders of a country. It is the main measure used by government departments to monitor the economy in the short term.) According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2013 the United States spent 16.4% of GDP on health care compared to around 11% for the next highest countries, including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, and France ( 2 ).

Overview of Health Care Financing
Causes of High Health Care Costs
Controlling Health Care Costs

Genetics

Genes and Chromosomes
Inheritance of Single-Gene Disorders
Gene Technology
Uses of Genetics
Gene Therapy
Ethical Controversies in Genetics

Legal and Ethical Issues

The law has a lot to say about personal decision-making. For example, people have the legal right to make their own health care decisions. However, poor health can jeopardize people’s ability to exercise their legal rights.

Overview of Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care
Capacity to Make Health Care Decisions
Informed Consent
Confidentiality and HIPAA
Advance Directives
Default Surrogate Decision Making
Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Orders
Medical Malpractice

Making the Most of Health Care

Gone are the days when people can rely solely on their family doctor with the help of a nurse to take charge of their health care. To obtain the best health care today, people must participate actively in the process. Active participation means many things:

Introduction to Making the Most of Health Care
The Primary Care Practitioner
When to See a Doctor
Making the Most of a Health Care Visit
Getting a Second Opinion
Handling Medical Records
Researching a Disorder

Prevention

Traditional medical care focuses on improving health by identifying and treating health problems that have already produced symptoms or complications. In contrast, preventive medical care focuses on preventing health problems from occurring. Preventive care also focuses on diagnosing problems before symptoms or complications arise, when the chances of recovery are greatest. When done well, prevention improves overall health and reduces health care costs.

Overview of Preventive Care
Tools of Prevention
Prevention in Pregnant Women
Prevention in Older Adults

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation services are needed by people who have lost the ability to function normally, often because of an injury, a stroke, an infection, a tumor, surgery, or a progressive disorder (such as arthritis—see Physical measures ). A pulmonary rehabilitation program (see Chest Physical Therapy ) is often appropriate for people who have chronic obstructive lung disease. People who become weak after prolonged bed rest (for example, because of a severe injury or after surgery) also need rehabilitation. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, treatment of any pain and inflammation, and retraining to compensate for specific lost functions are the typical focus of rehabilitation. Treatment usually involves continued sessions of one-on-one training for many weeks.

Overview of Rehabilitation
Treatment of Pain and Inflammation
Physical Therapy (PT)
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Rehabilitation for Specific Problems
Rehabilitation for Heart Disorders
Rehabilitation After a Brain Injury
Rehabilitation After a Spinal Injury
Rehabilitation After a Hip Fracture
Rehabilitation After Limb Amputation
Rehabilitation for Speech Disorders
Rehabilitation for Blindness

The Human Body

The human body is a complex, highly organized structure made up of unique cells that work together to accomplish the specific functions necessary for sustaining life.

Introduction to the Human Body
Cells
Tissues and Organs
Organ Systems
Barriers on the Outside and the Inside
Mind-Body Interactions
Anatomy and Disease

View by:

Also of Interest

Test your knowledge

If a person is expected to die at home, family members should do all of the following EXCEPT

Make sure important decisions about medical care have been made and recorded Be ready to call a doctor Get help arranging burial or cremation services Be ready to call an ambulance service

Consumer Version

Commonly searched drugs

Recent News

Fundamentals

The Human Body

Death and Dying

Exercise and Fitness

Financial Issues in Health Care

Genetics

Legal and Ethical Issues

Making the Most of Health Care

Prevention

Rehabilitation

FundamentalsSections (A-Z)

Death and Dying

Exercise and Fitness

Financial Issues in Health Care

Genetics

Legal and Ethical Issues

Making the Most of Health Care

Prevention

Rehabilitation

The Human Body