Health science
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'''Health science''' is the applied science dealing with [[health]], and it includes many sub disciplines. ''See also [[List of academic disciplines#Health sciences|health science academic disciplines]]''.
There are two approaches to health science: the study and [[research]] of the human body and health-related issues to understand how humans (and animals) function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure [[disease]]s.
Health research builds upon the basic sciences of [[biology]], [[chemistry]], and [[physics]] as well as a variety of multidisciplinary fields (for example [[medical sociology]]). Some of the other primarily research-oriented fields that make exceptionally significant contributions to health science are [[alternative health]], [[biochemistry]], [[epidemiology]], and [[genetics]],[[natural health]]. ''See also [[life sciences]] and [[List of academic disciplines#Life sciences|life science academic disciplines]].
Applied health sciences also endeavor to better understand health, but in addition they try to directly improve the health of individuals and of people in general. Some of these are: [[alternative health]], [[biomedical engineering]], [[biotechnology]], [[nursing]], [[nutrition]], [[pharmacology]], [[pharmacy]], [[public health]], [[psychology]], [[physical therapy]], and [[medicine]]. The provision of services to improve people's health is referred to as health care ([[#Application of health-related knowledge (health care)|see below]]). ''See also [[Medicine#Branches of medicine|branches of medicine]].''
The health sciences industry, a multi-billion dollar business sector, is a cross-section of the life sciences and the health care and medical diagnostics industries.
==Acquisition of health-related knowledge==
{{main|Life science|Biomedical research}}
Medical research is [[basic research|basic]] and [[applied research]] conducted to improve the evaluation of new treatments for both safety and efficacy in what are termed [[clinical trial]]s, or to develop new treatments (referred to as [[Pre-clinical development|preclinical research]]).
The increased longevity of humans over the past century is due in large part to medical research. Among the major advancements in medicine have been [[vaccine]]s for [[measles]] and [[polio]], [[insulin]] treatment for [[diabetes]], classes of [[antibiotic]]s for treating a host of maladies, medication for high [[blood pressure]], improved treatments for [[AIDS]], [[stating]]s and other treatments for [[atherosclerosis]], new surgical techniques such as [[microsurgery]], and increasingly successful treatments for [[cancer]]. New, beneficial tests and treatments are expected as a result of the [[human genome project]]. Many challenges remain, however, including the appearance of [[antibiotic resistance]] and the [[obesity]] epidemic.
== Application of health-related knowledge (health care) ==
{{main|Health care}}
Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the [[Medicine|medical]], [[nursing]], and [[allied health]] professions. According to the [[World Health Organization]], health care embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”.<ref>{{cite book | author=World Heath Organization Report. | title=Why do health systems matter? | publisher=WHO| year=2000}} </ref> The organized provision of such services may constitute a [[health care system]]. This can include a specific governmental organization such as the [[National Health Service]] in the UK, or a cooperation across the National Health Service and Social Services as in [[Shared Care]].
There are a large number of [[health profession]]s. The terms [[medicine]] or [[biomedicine]], and [[medical doctor]] or M.D. refer to the dominant conventional practices in the West. There are a wide range of traditional areas of health care. The most common areas are: [[medicine]], [[nursing]], [[midwifery]],[[naturopathy]] and various forms of therapy to supplement the healing process and restore proper activity (e.g. [[Dietetics]], [[play therapy|recreational]], [[physical therapy|physical]], [[occupational therapy|occupational]], [[speech therapy|speech]], and [[Respiratory therapy|respiratory]]).
Like health science in general, health care includes both the study and application of preventing and curing human diseases and disorders. Medical [[Physician|doctor]]s include [[physician]]s and [[surgery|surgeons]].
There are many different branches of medicine; the other health care professions also have specialties or focus on specific populations or settings of care. [[Public health]] studies the effect of environmental factors such as available health care resources on the health of the general population, often focusing on particular populations, such as mothers and children. [[Dietitian]]s educate people about proper [[nutrition]], particularly specific dietary needs of populations such as people with [[diabetes]], [[breastfeeding]] women, and people with [[celiac]] disease. Other less common medical areas include [[first aid]] and [[triage]].
Dental health has grown in importance in recent decades making [[dentistry]] a major field of health sciences. [[psychotherapy|Counselling]], [[hospice care]], [[home care]], [[nutrition]], [[medical social work]], [[alternative medicine]], [[pharmacology]], and [[toxicology]] are all considered part of health science.
[[Veterinary medicine]] is the health science dedicated exclusively to the care of animals. Veterinary medicine is involved in preventing and curing animal diseases and disorders, inspecting animal originated food (like milk and meat) and animal husbandry.
=== Health practices ===
==== Conventional Western practices ====
*Evidence-based [[medicine]]
*[[Athletic training]]
*[[Dentistry]]
*[[Dietetics]]
*[[Epidemiology]]
*[[Genetic counseling]]
*[[Medical physics]]
*[[Medicine]]
*[[Medical technology]]
*[[Nursing]]
*[[Nutrition]]
*[[Occupational therapy]]
*[[Optometry]]
*[[Osteopathic medicine in the United States|Osteopathic medicine]] (Note: [[Osteopathy]], as practiced in most countries other than the USA, is listed under complementary and alternative practices below)
*[[Pharmacology]]
*[[Physical therapy|Physical therapy (physiotherapy)]]
*[[Prosthetics|Prosthetics]] and [[Orthotics]]
*[[Psychology]], including [(Animal, Behavioural, Clinical, Health, Medical, Neuropsychology and others)]
*[[Psychoanalysis]]
*[[Psychotherapy]], including [[Cognitive therapy]]
*[[Public health]]
*[[Physical education]]
*[[Speech-Language Pathology]]
*[[Surgery]], including [[anaesthesia|anaesthesiology]]
*[[Veterinary medicine]]
=====Historical western=====
{{see|Ancient Greek medicine|Medicine in ancient Rome|Byzantine medicine|Medieval medicine}}
*[[Blood letting]]
*[[Heroic medicine]]
*[[Magnet therapy]]
*[[Patent medicine]]
*[[Phrenology]]
*[[Trepanation]]
==== Traditional or folk medicine====
{{main|Folk medicine}}
*[[Shamanism]]
*[[Ayurveda]]
*[[Medical herbalism]]
*[[Traditional Chinese medicine]], including [[acupuncture]]
*[[Traditional Korean medicine]]
==== Complementary and alternative medicine ====
{{main|Complementary and alternative medicine|Alternative medicine}}
*[[Alexander Technique]]
*[[Chiropractic]]
*[[Dorn method]]
*[[Herbalism]]
*[[Holistic health]]
*[[Homeopathy]]
*[[Hypnosis]]
*[[Massage therapy]]
*[[Natural medicine]]
*[[Naturopathic medicine]]
*[[Orthomolecular medicine]]
*[[Osteopathy]] (Note: [[Osteopathic medicine in the United States|Osteopathic medicine]] as practiced in the USA is listed under traditional western practices above)
===== New Age or spritualist =====
*[[Christian Science]]
*[[Faith healing]]
*[[Johrei]]
*[[Maharishi Vedic Medicine]]
*[[Reiki]]
=== Contemporary themes ===
Because health science deal with human life, issues of [[medical ethics]], an important area of [[ethics]], arise frequently. Medical ethics includes questions on topics such as a patient's right to privacy. [[Euthanasia]], [[abortion]], [[human cloning]], [[stem cell research]] and [[genetic engineering]] are especially controversial issues directly related to health science.
== History of health science ==
{{main|History of biology|History of medicine}}
The foundations for the Health Sciences fields are as old as the human race. Humans have always been in need of solutions to address illness, injury, and various health related issues such as childbirth. With modern technology and the backing of the pure sciences, the scientific accuracy of these fields has greatly improved. Nevertheless, many cultures have used and continue to use various herbs and other culturally specific solutions to help solve health problems that may or may not be backed by any scientific support.
==See also==
: ''Main list: [[List of basic health science topics]]''
* [[Health care]], [[Acronyms in healthcare]]
* [[Biomedical research]]
* [[Biomedical engineering]]
* [[Biomedical technology]]
* [[Biomedical informatics]]
* [[Emergency medical services]]
* [[Evidence-based medicine]]
* [[Health economics]]
* [[History of medicine]]
* [[Medical informatics]]
* [[Medical ethics]]
* [[Pharmaceutical industry]]
* [[Preventive medicine]]
* [[Publicly-funded health care]]
* [[Public health]]
* [[Henderson Health Sciences Magnet Middle School]]
== External links and references ==
*[http://www.neaahp.org/healthlinks.html Links to Health Professions Websites]
*[http://www.niehs.nih.gov/ National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences]
*[http://www.nlm.nih.gov The US National Library of Medicine]
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==References==
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[[Category:Health sciences]]
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