Comments to: crs@uvm.eduReviewed as of 4/20/98
THIS DOCUMENT WAS PRODUCED BY THE NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM. IT IS POSTED BY THE CENTER FOR RURAL STUDIES FOR PUBLIC
USE. THE CENTER FOR RURAL STUDIES ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE CONTENTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, REFER TO THE USERS GUIDE.
EXERCISE 1
Whole Person Health Appraisal
In this novel health-appraisal process, participants draw on their
own wisdom to assess their level of physical, mental, emotional,
social, spiritual, and lifestyle health. Participants then
identify their personal health risk areas.
> Goals
1) To raise participants' consciousness about the many aspects of
health.
2) To appraise personal well-being from a whole person perspective.
3) To identify personal health risk factors in a variety of life
dimensions.
> Group size
Unlimited, also appropriate for work with individuals.
> Materials needed
"Whole Person Health Appraisal" and "Risk Factors" worksheets for
each participant.
> Process
1) The trainer introduces the concept of health appraisals and risk
factors, describing the traditional health risk appraisals and con-
trasting the whole person appraisal process. During this chalk
talk, the trainer may want to include some or all of these ideas:
þ The traditional health risk appraisal focuses
specifically on areas of health and risk where
researchers can provide quantifiable data.
þ Such appraisals rely on statistical correlations
between death rates (or illness/accident incidence)
and quantifiable physical qualities and habits.
þ The whole person appraisal offers another way to
view health and risk factors. This appraisal taps
into the internal wisdom of the individual rather
than external data and focuses on all dimensions of
well-being (including mental, emotional, social,
spiritual, and lifestyle issues), rather than
primarily the physical.
þ Both types of appraisal provide feedback regarding
personal risk factors as well as recommended
actions a person can take to increase the
probability of a longer, more satisfying life.
2) The trainer distributes the "Whole Person Appraisal" worksheets
and instructs participants to first consider their physical health,
circling items in the physical portion of the appraisal that may
give them trouble and starring items that signal wellness. The
trainer encourages people to add any additional qualities or
attributes that occur to them.
3) The trainer then leads the participants through the other five
dimensions of the health assessment, describing each as he/she goes
along and allowing time for the circling and starring of
appropriate items.
4) When everyone is finished, the trainer asks participants to
reflect on the quality of their health in each separate dimension
and to fill in the thermometer for each dimension, according to
their judgment of their current health status in that area. After
participants have completed the mental, emotional, social,
spiritual, and lifestyle thermometers, they will have an overall
picture of their whole person wellness in thermometer form.
5) The trainer distributes the "Risk Factor" worksheet to
participants and directs them to focus on potential risk factors in
each dimension of well-being. Each person should identify one or
more personal attitudes or habits in each dimension that increase
his or her risk of future disease.
> Note: A "Risk Factor" is defined as any attribute, attitude,
habit or behavior pattern that, if continued, is likely to cause
problems and decrease the quality of life in the future.
6) Each participant finds a partner who will act as his or her
"personal consultant." Each pair decides who will act as
consultant first. The other partner acts first as client.
7) The client is given five minutes to describe his or her
appraisal to the consultant and to target two or three risk factors
to change. The consultant is then given five minutes to interview
the client further, helping him or her formulate a plan of action
that will reduce these risk factors.
8) The partners switch roles (client becomes consultant) and repeat
steps #6 and #7.
> Variations
Some trainers may want to use this whole person appraisal process
in tandem with a more traditional health risk appraisal to help
participants get a better picture of overall health concerns and to
increase their motivation for change.
Steps #6 to 8 may be completed in small groups, with each member
taking a turn as "client" while the rest of the group acts as
"consultants."
Participants could draw their thermometers (step #4) on newsprint
posters and hang them around the room. This would be particularly
effective as the "before" picture at the beginning of a several-
week-long course. At the closing session, participants could make
an "after" poster thermometer, showing the changes they have made
during the intervening weeks.
Whole Person Health Appraisal Worksheet
Circle the items with which you are not satisfied at present.
*Star the items that signal your wellness.
> Physical
smoking alcohol use
weight sexual satisfaction
energy body image
stamina diet habits
strength attention I pay to my body
caffeine intake medications
physical pain exercise
body tension other
sleep patterns
general health
> Mental
alertness memory
creativity wise
new ideas capable
logical curiosity
poetic vision enthusiasm
know my field stimulating
open-minded other
consistent
> Emotional
depressed can express feelings
stability can accept feelings
sensitive meet my own needs
grieving in touch with me
freedom sense of success
content all together
often anxious happy
often scared independence
self-confidence other
> Social
friendship meet all people w/ ease
intimacy express needs to others
outgoing respond to others' needs
respect relationship w/spouse
honesty relationship w/kids
obedient relationship w/parent
tolerant dependent/independent
handle conflict affectionate
social graces polite
conversation ease entertaining
able to say "no" forgiveness
loyal, trusting other
helpful
> Spiritual
hope comfortable w/ my death
meaning worthwhileness
purpose in touch w/ God
values sharing faith
faith prayer life
positive view commitment
feel forgiven direction
good example submission
worship life other
at peace
> Lifestyle
habits comfortable w/ aging
priorities handle money well
courageous apprectiate beauty
satisfied job satisfaction
orderliness decisionmaking
moved recently able to play
going too fast goal setting
trying too hard successful
able to relax other
able to enjoy
Personal Risk Factors Worksheet
What factors in your current health picture and self-care patterns
are causing difficulty in your life or are likely to cause you some
problems in the future? What patterns, if continued, will diminish
the quality of your life one year from now? Ten years from now?
Physical
Mental
Emotional
Social
Spiritual
Lifestyle
Comments to: crs@uvm.edu
Reviewed as of 4/20/98