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Primary health care (PHC) is found in most countries in different forms with different elements. PHC has been introduced in Malaysia since 1970.  It consists of eight elements and the goal is universal coverage of health care.  In Malaysia, due to the demand of the people, the expanded scope of PHC has been introduced with new programmes.  

In this course, you will learn by critically discussing definitions of health, illness and wellness. According to WHO (1946), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  Illness is the unique response of a person to a disease; an abnormal process involving changed level of functioning.  Wellness is an active state of being healthy by living a life style promoting good physical, mental, and emotional health (Taylor et al, 2011).  

The course allows you an opportunity to understand and appreciate the determinants of health which encompass biological, socio-cultural, economic, environmental and health care infrastructure.  In the unique response of a person to a disease, illness can be described as acute or chronic. Generally, acute illness has a rapid onset of symptoms and lasts only a relatively short time.  Whereas chronic illness is a broad term that encompasses many different physical and mental alterations in health. It is pertinent to understand the characteristic of chronic illness which has a permanent change which causes irreversible alterations in normal anatomy and physiology.  These require special patient education for rehabilitation within a long period of care or support.  Agent, host, and environment interact in ways that create risk factors. Understanding the risk factors is important for the promotion and maintenance of health.

Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care

 In developing a nursing leadership career in health care, the acquisition of policy and political knowledge is increasingly important. Whether your scope of work is within a hospital or community setting, at district, state or national levels, the dynamic application of theory into practice will strengthen your impact on policy formulation resulting in policy development. 

This course gives you a better understanding and insights into how policy and politics influence you in your work environment, i.e. the health care arena of how political processes shape organizational agendas, develop strategies, decision making and negotiations skills. 

This course prepares you to be more confident in developing your skills in conflict management, lobbying, health economics and financing, the importance of media and how to work with communities for change. With these skills it is expected that you will take on a more prominent leadership role in the various areas where nurses are politically active such as the workplace, the government, professional organizations and the community.