Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (World Health Organization). Health does not mean lack of an illness or disease, but it is the state of a person’s mind and body. In this case, the physical, social and mental aspects are key things to consider when we are talking about health. Women are vital members of the society and their well-being matters a lot. A society can be said to be healthy if all its members including women are healthy. Women play many vital roles in the well-being of the society and it is quite clear that a society cannot be healthy if women are not healthy.
Health among women is extremely crucial since it is the greatest determinant of the society’s health
To begin with, women are the primary care takers of men, children and the elderly in the society. They are the keepers of the homes and the custodians of the morality of the children. Many things would end up unattended to if the women are not healthy.
Children, especially the young ones, would not have someone to nurse them. The household chores would also remain unattended.
Let’s not forget that women also contribute to the economic growth through taking part in farming, formal employment and even business. Being sick would mean that their contribution to economic growth would decline. People always say that every successful man has a backup of a woman. This implies that success of men exceedingly depends on the support of women.
There are many people and factors that determine women’s health
To begin with, women themselves are the key determinants of their own health. The behavior of women on an everyday basis contributes significantly to how healthy they are. A good example is daily practices like observing personal hygiene and also certain habits like smoking and alcohol taking. Men also contribute to this issue and are also responsible for women’s health. Men who take part in planning their families through the use of contraceptives promote the health of women. There are men who are physically violent on women, and this may put women’s health at risk. The society is also responsible for the health of women.
There are certain cultural practices that put the health of women at risk. Some cultures prohibit women from eating certain types of food which might be extremely nutritious. This food is designed for men and women cannot eat it thus it effects their health.
The issue of health mainly affects the poor and the uninsured in the society especially in the sub-Saharan Africa. This is because these people have poor nutrition, poor sanitation and most of them may not access medical care facilities. However, these issues can be addressed through primary health care. The primary health care workers can offer health education on such issues as proper nutrition, the need for personal hygiene, importance of family planning and many more. They can also provide free diagnosis of diseases and provide free drugs. Teaching them on preventive measures is also tremendously beneficial.
Many rural women cannot access family planning contraceptives and even when they have them, they do not have the knowledge of how to apply them. Community health workers should not only provide contraceptives but also give adequate information on how to apply them. Lack of contraceptives exposes women to risk since they are subject to many infections thus have birth complications. These women should be offered free nutrition complements such as vitamins and minerals. Many poor women give birth at home which put them at a risk of death. Community health workers should provide accessible maternity services to them.
Nursing process and levels of care play a significant role in promoting wellness and health in the society. Nursing helps to take medical services to the areas which are inaccessible such as the remote rural areas. This is important since the health of those who live there gets some attention. Nursing also ensures delivery of services at a home level through home care services. People like the elderly ones and those with disabilities are able to get medical and emotional support on a daily basis. Nursing ensures delivery of services at a lower cost at the community level where at times it is even free thus promoting the well-being of the society.
Most of health education is offered through nursing services where issues like preventive measures and the need for proper hygiene are emphasized. Nursing ensures that each and every member of the society gets medical attention since there are few doctors and one doctor may not be able to see each and every patient. Maternal health has been improved through nursing and levels of care thus pregnant women can now have a safe delivery. Nurses do the follow-up in case of any complication to ensure maximum health among women. Early diagnoses and treatment has been enhanced since screening of diseases is free and is available to all.
Health is an extraordinarily significant aspect of life, and it is the main component of a quality life
Health is crucial not only to women but also to men and children since all of them have a role to play in the development of the society. It is evident that women’s health determines the well-being of the other groups. Special programs should be developed to address the health issues of the poor and the uninsured. Health services should be extended to the rural areas since everyone has a right to a quality life. Finally, nursing and levels of care are crucial in the community since they enhance medical accessibility to all people.
