Wellness Theory

Catalog description

KINES 81 is a course designed to explore the cognitive foundations of wellness. Wellness is dynamic and multidimensional. Each individual possesses a unique potential for wellness that is impacted by biological, environmental and behavioral factors. This course covers the physical components of wellness as well as the social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual components. Students explore the health benefits of exercise, diet, and cardiovascular wellness, along with the management of lifestyle change and personal responsibility to achieve wellness across the lifespan. Social, economic, and cultural factors that may influence wellness will be discussed. Assessment activities are integrated to enable and encourage responsible decision making. Emphasis will be placed on helping students understand the impact of lifestyle on acute and chronic disorders. A portion of the course will be devoted to theoretical constructs as they apply to human behavior including the Health Belief Model, Theory of Reasoned Action, Self Efficacy Theory, Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change), and Planned Behavior. By examining theories of human health behavior over a variety of topics, students will be able to analyze their personal health behavior and gain an understanding of the importance of prevention. Students may participate in collaborative learning activities related to health care ethics, individual rights versus public health and safety issues, and issues related to health information on the internet. Students will explore and differentiate medical based information and marketing based information on the internet. The student who successfully completes KINES 81 will be able to identify the components of a positive healthy lifestyle, understand health risk behavior that delimits wellness, grasp the multidimensional nature of wellness, and comprehend the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining wellness.