Overview
This lecture introduces consumer health, focusing on how individuals evaluate and use health information, products, and services, and details rights, sources, and risks related to health choices.
Introduction to Consumer Health
- Consumer health develops skills to evaluate and use health information, products, and services wisely.
- Adolescents should learn decision-making to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Everyone is a health consumer, seeking information, products, and services for their well-being.
Dimensions and Sources of Consumer Health
- Consumer health includes health information, health products, and health services.
- Health information comes from people, media, books, and professionals and can impact decisions.
- Health products are items like medicines, foods, and devices for health maintenance.
- Health services are programs or actions provided by professionals, hospitals, and the government.
Consumer Rights and Protection
- The Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394) protects health consumers' interests.
- Consumers have 8 basic rights: basic needs, safety, information, choice, representation, redress, education, and a healthy environment.
- Each right protects consumers in specific ways, such as access to accurate information and safe products.
Reliable vs Unreliable Health Information
- Reliable sources include licensed professionals, health books, and accredited websites.
- Unreliable sources include non-experts, superstitions, and commercialized information.
- Health information must be timely, relevant, culturally appropriate, and regularly updated.
Health Products and Services
- Health products include foods, medicines, cosmetics, vaccines, and household substances.
- Health services include screening, treatment, emergency care, and follow-up programs.
- Health care providers are professionals or facilities offering these services.
Types of Health Care Providers and Facilities
- Health professionals: physicians (various specialties), nurses, pharmacists, etc.
- Facilities include hospitals (private, government, specialty), walk-in surgery centers, health centers, and extended care facilities.
Health Insurance
- Health insurance covers medical, surgical, hospitalization, and disability costs.
- Can be public (e.g., PhilHealth) or private (e.g., HMO).
- Covered expenses are paid by the insurer; exclusions are not.
Alternative & Complementary Medicine
- Alternative modalities include naturopathy, herbal medicine, acupuncture, ventosa, reflexology, acupressure, and nutrition therapy.
- Republic Act 8423 created the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC).
Health Fraud and Quackery
- Quackery is the sale or promotion of unproven health products or services.
- Quacks lack professional qualifications and use deceptive tactics.
- Types: medical, nutrition, and device quackery.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Consumer Health — decisions on health product/service purchase and use affecting personal health.
- Health Information — data or advice impacting health decisions.
- Health Products — items consumed for health (medicine, food, devices).
- Health Services — professional services/programs for health maintenance or treatment.
- Quackery — fraudulent health practices or claims not scientifically proven.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review personal health sources and check for reliability.
- Familiarize yourself with the eight consumer rights.
- Read more about alternative health modalities approved by the DOH.
- Prepare for the next lesson in the MAPE Health curriculum.