When meditating over a disease, I never think of finding a remedy for it, but, instead, a means of preventing it, said French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur in 1884.
The World Health Organisation defines good health as "a state of dynamic harmony between the body, mind and spirit of a person and the social and cultural influences which make up his, or her environment". Health is therefore not only the absence of disease, but state of well being that is supported by preventive health services.
Medical evidence shows that more than 50 per cent of all deaths can be prevented by adopting a proactive stance to determine ones health status.
Screening
Four types of preventative services have been identified. These services are offered depending on an individual’s age, gender and risk status, which are determined by genetics and influenced by the environment. The services that enable a person to promote their health include screening. This involves asking questions, or conducting tests on patients to identify those individuals who are more likely to be helped by further tests and treatment to reduce the risk of a disease.
Screening is not just for detecting disease early, but also for identifying individuals at risk or those with established disease who are not receiving adequate care. There are three levels at which screening can be applied. The first category are "well" individuals with risk factors that predispose to diseases for example obesity and uncomplicated hypertension. The second are "asymptomatic" individuals with signs of early illness such as carcinoma in situ of the cervix. The third are "symptomatic" individuals whose irreversible abnormalities are unreported, but the effects can be controlled. These include visual defects, deafness and mental handicap.
Immunisation, pharmacologic treatment to reduce the risks of developing a disease or complications from the disease, and counselling for better health are other services. Your doctor should also talk to you on several health aspects that are dependent family history and lifestyle. — The writer is a Family Physician at Aga Khan University Hospital