Factors such as health literacy, feelings, and anxiety, and physical influences like pain or limitations influence patients’ adherence to and compliance with treatment and nursing care plans. The four purposes of health education were identified as health promotion, disease prevention, function restoration, and facilitation of coping and adjustments to health challenges and changes (the “new normal”).

Health maintenance and promotion include considerations for an overall more actively involved population of healthcare consumers who have more interest in health promotion and illness prevention. Nurses play a role in promoting adherence to and compliance with health promotion and illness prevention even for patients who are not as invested in their healthcare decisions and actions

health literacy — the ability of an individual to locate, comprehend, and use health-related material and make healthcare decisions. literacy — the ability to read and write. activities of daily living (ADLs) — skills required to perform essential and routine tasks independently for oneself (e.g., bathing, toileting) without assistance. direct observation of actions — evaluation method of observing the learner in the normal setting for actions and behaviors illustrating learning acquisition.