HEALTH (REVIEWER) - Quarter 1 (Based on Module)
MODULE 1 - Consumer Health
All of us are consumers. We acquire health information, purchase healthproducts, and avail of health
services to appraise, improve, and maintainour
health. Health information is an idea that we hear from people around us, readfrom books and other
printed materials, or from the media that influenceour
health. Health products are items that we consume to improve our well-beingsuch as medicine, food,
clothes, furniture, electronics, etc. To ensure consumer
health, criteria and guidelines in selecting health products/ services must beconsidered. Various forms of
providers and plans must also be known toaconsumer. Health services are programs we avail from
various providers suchasphysicians, nurses, therapists, health workers, hospitals, clinics,
andthegovernment. Some examples of these health services are insurance, treatment
and cure, and complementary and alternative medicine. In this light, we must all
be educated consumers.
What is consumer health?
Consumer health is not just about buying health products and services. It isalsoabout making
decisions and having a clear and deeper understanding to makewisechoices. What is Health
Information?
Health information is any concept, step, or advice that various sources givetoaidthe health
status of an individual. The type of information varies depending onvariousconsiderations such
as but not limited to health history, drugs and alcohol consumption, and eating disorders.
All of us are consumers. We acquire health information, purchase healthproducts, and avail of
health services to appraise, improve, and maintainour
health.
Health information is an idea that we hear from people around us, readfrom books and other
printed materials, or from the media that influenceour
health.
Health products are items that we consume to improve our well-beingsuch as medicine, food,
clothes, furniture, electronics, etc. To ensure consumer
health, criteria and guidelines in selecting health products/ services must beconsidered. Various
forms of providers and plans must also be known toaconsumer. Health services are programs
we avail from various providers suchasphysicians, nurses, therapists, health workers, hospitals,
clinics, andthegovernment. Some examples of these health services are insurance, treatment
and cure, and complementary and alternative medicine. In this light, we must all
be educated consumers.
Consumer health has three components: health information, healthproducts, and health
services.
Health information plays a big role in thelifeof
individuals. It gives details that people can use to make informed decisions about their
health and of others.
People acquire health information and products from various sources suchasauthorized person,
media, and technology. It is important to identify the reliability of thesesources.
Some Reliable Sources of information
1. Medical and health professionals (Family and school doctors, dentists, nurses, health science
educators)
2. Government agencies like Department of Health (DOH), Food and DrugAdministration (FDA),
Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), Department of Tradeand Industry (DTI)
3. Websites ending in gov, edu, and org. 4. Local health officials
5. Educational institutions
Some Unreliable Sources of Health Information
1. Outdated customs, practices, and superstitions without scientific basis
2. Information based on ignorance and prejudice
3. Commercialized health information
4. Personal options and incomplete information
5. Quack or pseudo healers
What are Health Products?
Health products are food, drugs, cosmetics, devices, biologicals, vaccines, in-vitrodiagnostic
reagents, and household/urban hazardous substances and/or a combination of
and/or a derivative thereof (FDA Act, 2009). These products may be purchasedfromvarious
places like supermarkets, pharmacies, and hospitals. Examples: eyeglasses, appliances,
medicines, grooming aids, car, etc.
What is a Healthcare Service?
Healthcare services refer to the furnishing of medicines, medical or surgical
treatments, nursing, hospital service, dental service, optometric service, andcomplementary
health services. These are often connected to healthcare. Theseprograms aim to appraise the
health conditions of individuals through screening and examinations, cure and treat disorders,
prevent and control the spread of diseases, provide safety, emergency care, and first aid, and
ensure a follow-up programfor
individuals who have undergone treatments.
Examples: medical and dental consultation and treatment, services frombeautyparlors and
barber shops, etc. Guidelines on the Purchase of Goods and Services
1. Evaluate which products and services will be beneficial, harmful or useless.
2. Know the local laws and regulations that protect consumers.
3. Locate dependable medical, dental and nursing services.
4. Apply knowledge acquired with respect to personal and environmental health in the
purchase of personal goods and services
Some Tips on how to be a Wise Consumer
1. Gather correct and sufficient information–get as much information by readingcritically the
details on the nutritional quality of the food. Be aware that beingknowledgeable of the laws will
protect you as a consumer.
2. Compare and contrast details of available products – compare and contrast
the products and services available before you purchase. Judge for yourself whichamong the
products are most effective. You can use the questions in assessingthe health information as
your initial guide.
3. Inquire for more and review if possible – ask direct questions fromsalespersonnel if there are
things about the product that are not clear to you beforebuying it. Clarifying things will make
you more confident as a consumer. You canalso get some information from other consumers
regarding the product. Health services are usually offered by healthcare providers. “A healthcare
provider
is a trained professional who provides people with healthcare”. Health services areoffered by
health service providers. There are three types, as follows:
I. Health Professionals. These are individuals who are licensed to practice medicineand other
allied health programs and work in the medical profession. Examples: doctor, nurse, nutritionist,
etc.
II. Healthcare Facilities – These are places or institutions that offer healthcare services.
Examples: hospitals, walk-in surgery center, health center, extended healthcarefacility.
III. Health Insurance - It is a financial agreement between an insurance company andan
individual or group for the payment of healthcare costs. Philippine Insurance Corporation
(PhilHealth) is a government-ownedandcontrolled corporation (GOCC) created through Republic
act 7875 also known as theNational Health Insurance (NHI) Act of 1995. It aims to provide
health insurance coveragefor all Filipinos and ensure affordable, acceptable, available, and
accessible healthcareservices for all citizens of the Philippines (Learner's Material on the
Philippine HealthInsurance Corporation (PhilHealth) - Grade 10 2017). The vision statement of
PhilHealth
“Bawat Pilipino Miyembro, Bawat Miyembro Protektado, Kalusugan ng Lahat Protektado 9"
PhilHealth ensures that every Filipino is a member by covering themunder
different membership programs which are categorized according to various sectorsof our
society.
Once enrolled under PhilHealth, a member should declare his or her legal
dependents so they can also be extended of the same healthcare protection and benefitsas that
of the principal member.
Consumer Health refers to the decisions you make about the purchase and useof health
information, products, and services that will have a direct effect on your
health. It has three components namely: health information, health products and healthcare
services.
· Criteria and guidelines must be considered when availing health services or
product. Details of the product, source of information, feedback mechanisms aresome of the
things to be considered. As a wise consumer, you should be abletogather information, compare
available products, and inquire for more soall
doubts will be erased.
· Health professionals, health facilities and insurance are the three types of
health providers. One type of insurance is the PhilHealth.
MODULE 2 - Healthcare Providers and Fraudulent Services
Health professionals are licensed to practice medicine. Knowing each of theseprofessionals and
their functions can give benefits such as the application of immediateand appropriate
treatment, avoidance of time and resources wastage, and thelike. Knowing them will not also
lead someone to avail of fraudulent health services. As a wise health consumer, you should
know the different health servicesprovided by these professionals. Some of these services are
as follows:
1. Feeding program for elementary school children
2. Immunization for different diseases intended for infants and children fromage2and above.
3. Prenatal check-up for mothers and babies
4. Free maternity clinic
5. Family planning program
Health services are usually offered by healthcare providers. A healthcare provider is a trained
professional who provides people with healthcare. Health Professionals. These are individuals
who are trained and licensedtopractice medicine along with allied health programs and work in
the medical
profession.
Examples: doctor, nurse, nutritionist, physician, etc. There are different types of physicians
based on their area of specialization.
a. Pediatrician – specializes in children’s health care and treatment of diseases.
b. Psychiatrist – specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
c. Obstetrician – specializes in the care of women during pregnancy and childbirth.
d. Ophthalmologist – specializes in diagnosis and treatment of eye diseasesanddisorders.
e. Anesthesiologist – specializes in administering various anesthetics toassureproper operative
procedures.
f. Dermatologist – specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases.
g. Cardiologist – specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the heart andbloodvessels.
h. Allergist – specializes in diagnosing and treating body reactions resultingfromunusual
sensitivity to food, medicine, dust and other substances.
i. Pulmonologist - specializes in diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract.
j. Neurologist – specializes in providing diagnosis and surgical treatment of
diseases of the nervous system.
k. Gastroenterologist – specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseasesinthe
gastrointestinal system.
l. Geriatrician – specializes in care of elderly and the diseases that affect them. m. Surgeon –
specializes in performing surgical operation in treating diseases,
injuries and deformities.
n. Urologist – specializes in diseases and abnormalities of the gastro-urinary tract.
o. Gynecologist – specializes in diseases and care of the female reproductiveorgans.
6. Healthcare Facilities – These are places or institutions that offer healthcareservices. There
are different types of healthcare facilities. These are the following types of healthcare facilities:
a. Hospital - It is an institution where people undergo medical diagnosis, careandtreatment. In
the Philippines, there are two classifications of hospitals: general andspecialty. General hospitals
have complete medical, surgical, and maternal carefacilities. On the other hand, specialty
hospitals handle a particular diseaseor
condition or deal with only one type of patient.
b. Walk-In Surgery Center - It is a facility that offers surgery without the patient
being admitted in the hospital.
c. Health Center - It is a facility that caters a specific population with varioushealthneeds.
d. Extended Healthcare Facility - A facility that provides treatment, nursingcare, and residential
services to patients, often the elderly.
7. Health Insurance - It is a financial agreement between an insurance companyandan
individual or group for the payment of healthcare costs. Example: PhilHealth, Private Healthcare
Plans.
Consumers received health information, products, and services fromvarioussources, thus
individuals may be prone to frauds. An example of which is quackery. Quackery is a form of a
health fraud, an advertisement, promotion, or saleof
products and services that have not been scientifically proven safe and effective. It isbeing
operated by a quack. A quack is a person who dishonestly pretends tohavemedical skills or
knowledge. Three major characteristics of quackery
1. It is a big business.
2. It multiplies and spreads fast. It is progressive.
3. It is claimed that it is for incurable condition. Possible Effects of Quackery:
1. Taking a quack “cure” may delay or lose the chance to be healed.
2. The person may experience placebo effect – that he/she improves for natural
reasons and not because of the substance that the quack provides.
3. Loss of money
4. Giving false hopes to the sick person and the family.
5. The actual damage done to the individual by using fake products and services
6. It may cause overdose and over medicines. These are three forms of quackery:
1. Medical quackery includes cures, treatments, and remedies of various healthconditions that
are drugless or bloodless in nature.
2. Nutrition quackery involves promotion of food fads and other nutritional
practices that claim to be all-natural. These are believed to have beneficial
properties of multiple plants in one product.
3. Device quackery makes use of miraculous gadgets (such as dials, gauges, electrodes, magnets,
and blinkers) that are believed to cure certain healthconditions.
· Selecting the correct health provider can give the health consumer theadvantage of
receiving the accurate and appropriate medical treatment.
· Having the knowledge of the different health providers canalsoprotect the health
consumer from fraudulent health providers suchasquacks.
