Health

Consumer Health
Is not just about buying health products and services.
It also involves knowing the facts and having a deeper understanding that enables people to make
wise choices.
3 factors that are important to consider in consumer health.
1. Health products
2. Health information
3. Health services
Health Consumers
A health consumer is someone who examines health information in products and services.
The consumer is the one who purchases and utilizes the goods and services.
Health products
Health products include medicines, medical equipment, and related devices

• Over the counter drugs

• Cosmetic products
• Skin Care
• Hair care products
• Oral care products

Health Service
Activity that are done to assess, maintain, or improve the individual’s health can be considered as
health services.
These also include the diagnosis and the treatment of illnesses, injuries, or disabilities.
Health services evaluation
Five attributes:
1. Location of service points
2. Promptness and kindness when caring for patients in family members:
3. Ease of access to authorization forms for consultation
4. Price: and
5. Diversity of available doctors, clinics, and hospitals
Medical Professionals
They are engaged in providing solutions to health-related problems.

Medical Specialist:
 • Anaesthesiologist – administration of anesthesia like in surgery
• Cardiologist – coronary artery diseases; heart disease
• Dermatologist – skin conditions
• Family physician – general care physician
• Gynaecologist – female reproductive system
• Internist – treatment of diseases in adults
• Obstetrician – pregnancy, labour, childbirth
• Ophthalmologist – eye disease and treatment
• Primary care physician – general health and medical care
• Surgeon – treats diseases by surgery

Dental Specialist:

• Dentist- general care of the teeth and oral cavity

• Endodontist – diseases of the tooth below the gum line and root canal therapy
• Orthodontist – teeth alignment, malocclusion
• Pedodontics – dental care of children
• Periodontists – diseases supporting structures
• Prosthodontist – construction of artificial appliances for the mouth

Mental Health Practitioners

• Psychologist
• Psychiatrist
• The child and adolescent psychiatrist
• Other Health Professionals
• Nurse and Midwives

Health Facilities
Healthcare facilities or hospitals, barangay health centers, Primary Health care centers hammer
private clinics, maternity centers, and others that are created to provide basic health services.
Health Care
It is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of disease,
injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Healthcare is delivered by health
professionals the allied health field.

• PHILHEALTH
• HMO
• MEDICAL ENSURANCE

Criteria for Evaluating Health Services:

• Importance
• Scientifically Sound
• Feasible
 • Actionable

To Buy health products and services intelligently.

• Read
• Compare
• Inquire

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES
Alternative medicine includes the following: herbal preparations, food supplements, massage
therapy, and other medicines considered to complement regular medicines they are not
considered standard medicine practices by the expert in medicine; thus, alternative medicine can
just accompany by not replacing the regular medicines prescribed by the medical specialists.

Herbal Medicine:
The word herb ‘refer’ to any plan or part of a plan thus herbal medicine refers to the use of plant
or parts of plants like stem, roots, barks, seeds, leaves, flowers, and food for medical purposes.
10 Philippine medicinal plants approved by the Department of Health
1. Acapulko
2. Ampalaya
3. Bawang
4. Bayabas
5. Lagundi
6. Niyog-niyog
7. Sambong
8. Tsaang Gubat
9. Pansit-pansitan
10. Yerba Buena

Ventosa
Ventosa is an alternative medicine in which classes are placed on some important points at the
back of the person.
This technique is effective in creating a kind of suction because of the vacuum inside the glass.
The suction created by the glass and heat (candle of fire) supports blood flow and thus, promotes
healing of the body.
Reflexology
It is done by applying pressure to the feet, ears, or hand by means of the thumb or a particular
finger. The area where pressure is applied includes the reflex point. These reflect points are
 pressed because they are believed to correspond to a person’s major area of the body or human
organs.
Naturopathy
It is from the word ‘nature’ and thus, uses natural ways to treat a patient. The physician who
employs this kind of treatment tried to restore the balance of the body and mind of the patients.
They are more interested to treat not just the physical causes of the illness but also the mental and
emotional causes.
Massage therapy
It is another form of alternative medicine that is known to improve one’s well-being. It is
generally believed to result in the good circulation of blood. It also helps reduce muscle pains and
stiffness. It also provides relief from stress. It is popular because of it’s relaxing effect.
QUACKERY
It is a promotion of false and unproven health products and services for profit. It is a consumer
fraud that involved the practices of promoting and selling useless products and services. Some of
the flames of these health products are:

• A scientific breakthrough
• To have a secret ingredient or procedure
• Being a miraculous cure or an ancient primacy or practice
• Cure multiple or a wide range of illnesses

Quack
A person or company involved in health fraud which usually tries hard to appear scientific. A
quack may endorse products or services with a promise of quick cures, miracles, or unbelievable
formulas. Quack tells people what they want to hear. They may sell door-to-door or by telephone
rather than in conventional ways. They provide testimonials from people who are believed to
have been healed by products.
Health Fraud
Is the advertising, promoting, and selling of products and services that are not been scientifically
proven safe and effective. There are a lot of frauds not just in health products and services but in
almost all, if not all, kinds of trading. Consumers are the usual victims of these unfair apps. Many
are not aware that consumers have protection from deceptions in trading.
How are Quacks recognized

• Does the seller claim that traditional medical treatment is more harmful rather than helpful?
• Does the seller use scare tactics that play on fears and emotions?
• Does the seller claim that the medical professional does not recognize this product or service?
• Does the seller guarantee a quick cure or cure for an incurable disease?
• Consumers should be very careful and suspicious of any remedy not prescribed by a physician
that:
• Use a celebrity as an endorser.
• Does not have adequate labeling like indications for use and directions.
 • Claims that the brother has secret formula.
• Has conspicuous promotion such as over the phone and by direct mail.
• Please cure for different disorders like cancer and sexual dysfunction; and
• Claims all-natural, no side effects, works immediately and permanently, are no doctor’s
consultation necessary.

MEDICAL QUACKERIES AND HEALTH FADS

• Medical Quackery
• Cancer Quackery
• Food Quackery
• Arthritis and Rheumatism Quackery
• Device Quackery
• Beauty Quackery
• Psychological Quackery
• Balding Quackery

CONSUMER WELFARE AND PROTECTION

Consumer rights or privileges that a consumer is guaranteed. These rights make individuals as
smart consumers and prevent them from being deceived by inaccurate information, thus,
protecting their health as well as others. Under the enacted “Consumer Act of the Philippines,”
the state shall implement measures to achieve the following objectives:

• Protection against her side to health and safety.

• Protection against descriptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales, acts, and practice.
• Provision of information and education to facilitate sound choices and to properly exercise the
right of the consumer.
• Provision of adequate rights and means of redress; and
• Involvement of consumer representatives in the formation of social and economic policies.

Agencies protecting consumer welfare

• Department of Food and Drug Administration(FDA)

• Department of Health(DOH)
• Department of Trade and Industries(DTI)
• Non-government organization
• Kilusang Mamimili ng Pilipinas, Inc. ( KMPI)
• Philippine Medical Association
• Philippine Dental Association
• Health education Association of the Philippines

Basic Rights of Consumers:

• Right to be safe
• Right to choose freely
• Right to be informed
• Right to be heard
• Right to service
• Right to education