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Personal Health Assessment Donatelle (2010) explains the six dimensions of health that comprise overall wellness. With the help of the assessment worksheet, I can score myself on each of the dimensions and determine areas that I can improve. It will give me a clear indication of which dimensions I need the most improvement, and also can help pinpoint exact areas for refining. Strongest Dimensions The social dimension is the area I am clearly the strongest. I have always had a large, close-knit group of friends who I can turn to when I need to talk, and in return they rely on me, too.
My friends and family know I will give an honest opinion and recommendations, even if it may be difficult information to hear. I have met several people who say they are envious of my friends and my family, as we have regular gatherings for birthdays, holidays, celebrations, and even social traditions. My friends know my children, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. A day never passes that I feel alone, unwanted, or unneeded. Directly related to the social dimension of health is the dimension of emotional health. For the same reasons I have strong social health, I also have a high score for emotional health.
I have a diverse group of friends, and we share experiences, problems, triumphs, and life in general. A stable support system helps me react to problems in a calm manner and step back and assess situations fairly with the knowledge that I can find the help that I need in any situation. My intellectual health is relatively high. This is because my mother raised my sister and me to be thorough in obtaining information before making decisions. We have been taught to use critical thinking skills and think of the consequences of all possible actions prior to making a final decision.
Improving Weakest Dimensions My lowest score for the six dimensions of health is my physical condition. The majority of my life I have been in good physical shape, active year-round, and perfect physician check-ups. I broke my leg badly a few years ago and have gained a substantial amount of weight. I have not been responsible in making the changes needed to my lifestyle to lose the extra weight. There are activities I can no longer do physically, but I have not replaced them with equivalent exercises or actions. My environmental health is not poor but could definitely withstand some improvement.
I have recycled since I was a child, and still do even though it is not required in our area. I use electronic billing where possible and reuse paper whenever possible. I could, however, make a personal sacrifice by driving a smaller car. I have not taken the time to find a car that can accommodate four teenagers that has better gas mileage than my current vehicle. My current lease will end soon, so this is a good time to begin that research. A more efficient vehicle will help the environment, and save our family money on gas. According to the self-assessment, my spiritual health is my lowest scoring dimension.
I can easily make changes to my daily and weekly routines by reminding myself of the good things in my life and appreciating them more. Getting absorbed in day-to-day life and responsibilities is easy, but taking advantage of fulfilling opportunities will help me get more out of life, and create lasting memories and reinforce relationships in the process. Behavior Changing Techniques Donatelle (2010) defines self-efficacy as, “an individual’s belief that he or she is capable of achieving certain goals or of performing at a level that may influence events in life” (p. 53).
Historically, I have shown characteristics of a self-efficacious person; I tackle difficult problems and finish what I start. My weight is one of the first things in my life that I have attempted but failed to achieve. By changing the way I think and talk to myself, or my self-talk, I think I can overcome this one area where I seem to talk myself out of success. I am allowing myself to make excuses rather than focusing on what is best for me and ultimately my family. If I can use blocking to stop the negative thoughts and excuses, I believe I can overcome this hurdle.
Course Expectations This course provides a large amount of information that is available to us through school, the media, our physicians, and the Internet. Having concise reading assignments, open discussions that reveal new ideas and opinions, and assignments that force us to research health subjects, I hope to have a renewed motivation to get back to a healthier weight, and make lifestyle changes to my diet that will benefit me throughout my life. I have already started a list of ideas that I can use to compile a plan to achieve my goals. Conclusion
After completing the self-assessment worksheet, I have identified specific areas of my health that need improvement. I was aware of my need and desire to lose the weight I have gained, but this assessment has highlighted less obvious areas that can easily be improved upon. This course will provide the means for me to learn behaviors, techniques, and motivation to implement a plan and overcome the hurdles between me and my health goals. Reference Donatelle, R. J. (2010). Access to health (green ed. ). San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings/Pearson.