| [ Summary ] |
Cure and care are essential concepts in healthcare ; the classical view is that cure aims to overcome biomedical diseases through medical intervention mainly by physicians, while care aims to help people suffering from illnesses using a holistic approach mainly by nurses. The meaning of cure and care are evolving in the era of chronic diseases and an aging world. If cure aims for complete recovery from disease, curing is impossible for many chronic diseases. New concepts of cure may include recovery from abnormal states, absence of symptoms, or prevention of recurrence. To achieve a cure for chronic diseases, factors of care such as patient education, lifestyle modification, and/or supporting self-management are essential. Patients feel that they are cured when their quality of life is high, and not just when symptoms disappear ; care as well as cure thus become important. Care and cure are not distinct, separate concepts, and need to be integrated to promote quality healthcare. |