Illness-focused
Relating to, characterized by, or primarily concerned with the disease or ailment itself, its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, often to the exclusion or downplaying of other aspects of a person's well-being, such as social, emotional, and psychological factors. An illness-focused approach prioritizes the elimination or management of the disease's physical manifestations, sometimes overlooking the broader impact on the individual's life quality. This emphasis can manifest in medical practice, research, or personal attitudes towards health conditions. It contrasts with approaches that consider the patient as a whole person and seek to improve overall wellness.
Illness-focused meaning with examples
- The hospital's initial approach was highly illness-focused, concentrating solely on the patient's physical symptoms and their immediate treatment. Discussions about their emotional state or social support were minimal. This narrow scope led to inadequate consideration of how the illness impacted their daily life and recovery prospects.
- Medical literature from that era often displayed an illness-focused perspective, with detailed descriptions of disease progression and treatment protocols, but little attention was given to the patient's experience or the psychosocial challenges they faced alongside their medical condition.
- Sarah felt her doctor was too illness-focused. She expressed concerns about her fatigue and the doctor's response was to immediately run more tests to confirm or rule out possible other illnesses without exploring potential non-medical reasons.
- A purely illness-focused perspective in public health might lead to overlooking preventative measures and emphasize crisis management. The focus on treating those sick only and not improving the overall community health for instance.
- The research project took an illness-focused stance, primarily studying the biochemical mechanisms underlying the disease while underemphasizing the influences of lifestyle, environmental factors, and genetic predispositions.
