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Classification Essay: A Quick Guide with Examples

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A classification essay is a type of academic essay that categorizes a topic into distinct groups based on shared characteristics or criteria. The writer's purpose is to create a clear organization of information. Classification should be logical, making it easier for readers to remember the information being presented.

Let us guess: your professor asked you to write a classification essay. But they didn't explain how to even write one, did they? They often drop students like that as a part of self-learning. That's exactly why you're here! Writing a classification essay requires research. And making sure you've got enough information, you must double check what you've already gathered. Besides, classifying may sound simple, but it takes discipline and logical thinking. Putting thoughts into words and all that… What a task! But we heard a little rumor that those who continue reading would master classification papers. It's time for you to see if this rumor is true!  

What Is a Classification Essay: Definition

Classification essay doesn’t want to hide its essence, considering its name. But the primary goal of this type of article is to classify. Now, what you want to rank is up to you or your professor. Your main goal is to select topics and later put them into categories. The primary purpose of this type of essay is to show your skills in categorisation and generalization. We can take food as a good and tasty example. For instance, apples and oranges belong to the fruit category, while cucumbers will definitely be vegetables. As for avocado, you have to do the research and classify this type of food. Nevertheless, you’ll definitely need to write one of those essays during your college. So to master academic and classification writing, keep reading!  

How to Write a Classification Essay

We will start by teaching you how to write a classification essay. In this case, preparation is our little saving grace. So before you begin the actual writing, typing, or scribbling, it’s a good idea to think about the overall essence of your article. For starters, here are several valuable tips worth remembering:

  • Select a type of organization (you can use tables, documents, or anything that will help you in organizing your work).
  • Choose your categories for classification.
  • Make sure that each category is distinct and clear.
  • Include different examples for visualization.

These several steps will be handy for writing a thesis and starting your introduction. Buy essay papers online once you want good results with as little time spent as possible.

Developing an Effective Classification Essay Thesis Statement

Like with other articles, the classification essay thesis is one of the most vital parts of your work. A good thing worth keeping in mind is that your thesis is the last statement of your introduction. It also determines whether your audience will continue reading your article. Here are several things you should follow to write a good thesis:

  • Summarize your work.
  • Identify your main topic, objective, or goal of your essay.
  • Above all, make readers understand what point you’re making and what your paper is gonna be about.
  • Mention the categories you have chosen.

If you can nail our list given above, congratulations, you’ve got yourself an outstanding thesis.

Classification Essay Outline

Creating a classification essay outline is one of the easiest ways to approach an excellent classification paper. It’s true that it requires a lot of research and remembering. You will not only have to write about a single subject but group topics into categories. In order to do it correctly and understandably for the reader, it’s best if you use an outline. First and foremost, your essay should follow a traditional five paragraph essay format structure. It should have a minimum of three paragraphs. But typically, professors prefer around five. So your introduction must initially include an introduction, several body paragraphs depending on the length of your article, and a conclusion. In your body paragraphs outline, it’s a good idea to describe the groups you will include in your article. So your first paragraph will group fruits according to their color, while the second one can use nutrition for a classification. This will help you to remember your points before writing.  

How to Start a Classification Essay: Introduction

Classification essay introduction is very similar to any other introduction you have probably written. You should never forget that you are writing for an audience. Doesn’t really matter if your reader is your professor or some person online. The rules of good writing apply to any kind of paper. The first thing worth doing is introducing your overall concept. There is no need to give all the information at once. Just start with something more general and narrow it down later to a thesis we’ve talked about. Make sure that you also include the relevant information. Using our previous metaphor, if you’re talking about fruits, maybe mentioning vegetables will not be a good idea. Besides, staying on one topic will help you to write more clearly. And that’s our final requirement for your introduction.  

Body Paragraphs of a Classification Essay

Classification essay's main body commonly has around 1-3 paragraphs. But don't forget to ask your professor about the length. The important thing to remember is that you are classifying items in your work. In order to achieve precise and successful organization, your body paragraphs must be concise. Each body paragraph should focus on a certain group. You're not making mashed potatoes. So stacking all of your ideas in one section would create a mess. Keep it simple in terms of structure:  

  • Paragraph 1 — fruits organized by their color
  • Paragraph 2 — fruits arranged by expert location
  • Paragraph 3 — fruits ordered by size or shape

A simple and understandable organization will make your writing sharp. And your readers will definitely say thank you!

Classification Essay Conclusion

A classification essay conclusion is, just like always, crème de la crème of any article. At this point, your reader knows everything you were telling them. They know all your data, issues, and ideas. Thus, quickly summarizing what they’ve read in your body paragraphs will help a lot. But the last thing to do is organize your conclusion while leaving an impression. Now, their impressions can be different. However, your readers must think about your work for at least some time. So your conclusion must end with something intriguing like the possible future of your topic or piece of mind for the readers. Just don’t include any new information, and you’ll do fantastically!  

Classification Essay Writing: Useful Tips

Even with our help, classification essay writing is challenging. So we prepared for you several good tips that will help you improve and ease your academic life. Check them out:  

  • Define the purpose of the article before you start writing.
  • Avoid popular and often used topics.
  • Write down a number of topics before picking one. (We have a list of classification essay topics at your disposal.)
  • Choose a subject that will be personally interesting for you.
  • Remember that you are also writing for someone else who might not know everything about your topic.
  • Edit and proofread your work.
  • Take a break from writing once in a while and come back with a fresh mind and new look.
  • Don’t try writing about everything simultaneously. Instead, focus on one category and lead with it.

With these steps, we can definitely say that you’re ready.

Classification Essay Examples

How could we leave you without classification essay samples? You’re right; we couldn’t. Check out this example. Keep in mind that our examples always have characteristics that we talked about. So you can read the sample and return back for this article or do some revision. It will help you a lot. What are you waiting for? You can find the example right here. Or simply buy essay for college to avoid any hard work this evening. 

Classification Essay: Bottom Line

Who knew that  writing a classification essay  wasn’t that hard? We did, and now you know that, too. You have everything it takes to create an excellent paper. You know that:  

  • Your thesis is the most essential part of the essay.
  • The introduction must contain general information on the subject.
  • Body paragraphs must be carefully organized.
  • A conclusion should leave an impression without including new information.

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But if you’re still looking for proficient help, our academic writing services got you covered. Our writers do excellent research before writing a paper and deliver high-quality results. We are also proud of our timely delivery of the papers.

FAQ about Classification Essays

1. what is the purpose of a classification essay.

The purpose of a classification essay is to organize and classify. In the beginning, you have several unique items. They indeed have some things in common. So your job is to identify in what categories they fit best. After doing the research and careful learning, you must put everything you have gathered into words. But still, keep in mind that the second purpose is to make your essay and classification clear to the reader.

2. How long is a classification essay?

There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to classification essay length. Everything will depend on the guidelines. Usually, such articles are 3 to 5 paragraphs long. Their minimum is always an introduction, one body paragraph, and conclusion. However, professors definitely enjoy 5 paragraphs as a standard length. But you always need to remember that the essay should be long enough to provide necessary information for the reader. Or it must be short enough not to drag it out.

3. What is the difference between a division and classification essay?

Division and classification essays are only slightly different. The items you choose for classification essays must belong to strict and certain categories. They cannot overlap or belong to two different groups. On the other hand, division essays allow the subjects to move from one group to another. They might be divided into different groups or categories and thus overlap.

4. What are different types of classification?

There are several types of classification. Depending on the particular topic, you can choose a specific type that fits the best. Here’s what you can choose from:

  • Spatial classification (location, place and so on).
  • Chronological (you must take time and dates into consideration).
  • Classification by attributes (qualitative).
  • Classification by size (quantitative with numbers and statistics).

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168 Classification Essay Topics & Analysis by Division Essay Ideas

A classification essay organizes things into categories and describes the criteria for classification.

If you are ready to discover genuinely fresh classification essay topics, this article is for you! We will introduce 168 inspirational classification essay ideas that will make your papers rock. We will explain what a classification essay is, and also describe some features of classification essay structure and format! Now is the time to choose your favorite idea from the following essay topics list. Enjoy your excellent grades and the envy of your classmates.

❓ What Is a Classification Essay?

  • 🔑 How to Write a Classification Essay?
  • For College Students
  • For a Descriptive Essay
  • About Yourself
  • About Friends
  • Other Topics

👀 Classification Essay Example

🔥 top 13 classification and division essay topics 2024.

  • Types of self-care.
  • Ways to earn easy money.
  • Eco-friendly activities.
  • Ways to stay productive.
  • Best learning techniques.
  • Types of social media.
  • Forms of political activism.
  • Ways of coping with stress.
  • Types of fashion brands.
  • Language learning techniques
  • Types of travelers.
  • Types of cyber attacks.
  • Marketing strategies.

A division or classification essay is an essay that aims to evaluate one’s skills of categorizing and generalizing. The task is to organize things into categories . Before doing this, you’ll need to choose and describe the criteria for classification. You’ll also need to provide several examples of things from each category. For instance, when writing an essay on mobile platforms, you might distinguish the following categories: iOS, Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phone.

🔑 How to Write a Classification Essay? Key Principles & Steps

A classification essay divides objects into groups according to a particular system, depending on the subject.

Writing a Classification/Division Essay: 5 Steps

Below are the five steps that will help you write a successful classification essay .

The list contains 5 classification essay writing steps.

Step #1: Choose a Classification & Division Essay Topic

This idea is the central concept behind classification and division essays. Unlike other essay types , a good classification essay usually describes how the parts relate to the whole in a given category. When choosing a topic for a division essay, keep in mind that you should divide the topic into important categories. In the article, we will suggest various classification essay topics. They may inspire you and give you the overall idea of what one should look like. Remember, a good classification and division essay topic needs to be easily divided into categories.

Step #2: Define the Categories of your Classification Essay

A classification essay combines two different techniques:

  • Firstly, you need to divide a complex and difficult topic into subtopics
  • Next, you need to determine what categories are needed and what information fits into those specific categories

For example, a newspaper. All the information inside is divided into different parts. There are news, advertisements, and classifieds. Then the information is also classified into different categories. The news may, for example, be categorized as sports, international, local, lifestyle, etc.

Before starting an essay, make sure you have chosen an organizing principle. Information can be organized chronologically, logically, etc. You also need enough examples and supporting details for each category of your classification and division essay.

Step #3: Create a Thesis Statement

Developing the correct thesis statement is crucial. The main idea of the essay is summarized and expressed in a thesis. Once you have decided on the purpose, group, and categories, develop a thesis statement.

  • describe the basis of the classification
  • name what group of people or things you intend to classify
  • label the categories you have developed

For example:

“The last five U.S. presidents have practiced physical fitness regimens that varied from the formal to the informal. They have been either disciplined public joggers, regular private gym-goers, or casual, active sports enthusiasts.”

Step #4: Make a Classification Essay Outline

Outlining your classification essay is an essential step if you want to get a great essay. It helps you keep your paper organized and flow from point to point naturally. It also allows you to be more flexible. An outline provides a structure for what you will articulate in every section and every paragraph of your essay. Take a look at the table below!

Step #5: Remember Classification Essay Structure

It is essential always to remember the basic essay structure.

📇 Classification Essay Topics

We have introduced some of the main principles of classification/division papers. Now, we will write about and introduce some good topics for the classification essay. This classification essay list can help you to tackle this unique type of essay creatively.

  • Facebook users
  • YouTube videos
  • Search engines
  • Computer users
  • Dormitory rooms
  • Friends in need
  • People queuing at the dentist
  • People in the street when it rains cats and dogs
  • Most annoying songs
  • Dancing styles
  • Movie endings
  • Cinema-goers
  • Extracurricular activities
  • College athletes
  • College fraternities
  • Parenting styles
  • Child-parent relationships
  • Students and their study habits
  • Students during an exam
  • Students during a class discussion
  • Television shows
  • Shop assistants
  • First dates
  • Ways to apologize
  • Happy couples
  • Reasons (not) to get married
  • Ways (not) to resolve a personal conflict
  • Christmas gifts
  • New Year’s parties
  • Halloween costumes
  • Attitudes to sports
  • Ways to quit smoking
  • Sports fans
  • Sports coaches
  • Ways to spend a dinner break
  • Sales representatives
  • Advertisements
  • Shopping behaviors
  • Types of restaurant decor
  • Family dinners
  • Public speakers
  • World religions
  • Political regimes
  • International organizations
  • Stereotypes
  • Decision-making strategies
  • Types of motivation
  • Change management strategies
  • Clients’ behaviors in conflictual situations
  • Sources of energy
  • Evolution theories
  • Debating strategies
  • Stress-coping strategies
  • Responses to jokes
  • Laughter sounds
  • Compliments

📋 10 Classification Essay Topics with Categories

Here are the top 10 topics and category examples!

🖌️ Classification Topics for a Descriptive Essay

In case you might want to consider writing a descriptive or exemplification essay, we are introducing 12 extra topics that may help you.

First, you have to remember that the descriptive essay asks the student to describe something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This kind of writing encourages the student’s ability to create a written account of a particular occasion or experience. While working on a descriptive essay, try to use vivid and clear language, use your senses, and leave an impression on the reader.

Here are some classification essay topics samples:

  • The influence of literature on daily life. Consider some examples and thoroughly describe how they affected people in certain situations.
  • Behavior in critical situations. Exemplify typical and atypical behavior of people you know (or yourself) in different extreme situations or imagine how you would react.
  • Most influential phenomena in the 21st century. Draw a few examples from modern history and chose one of them explaining your selection.
  • Conflict of generations. Describe how sides of the conflict react to the same situations and draw a conclusion stating what can be done to fix the issue.
  • Creativity in daily life. Explore the meaning of creativity and explain how it affects our lives on a daily basis.
  • Circumstantial wisdom. Describe some situations from your life and what wisdom you have gained from them.
  • Car ownership in a future city. Give some examples of how cars would look like 50 years from now.
  • The Second World War lessons. Exemplify the modern-day life aspects that might have formed under the influence of WWII.
  • Physics in daily life. Identify real-life situations where the knowledge of physics could be a game-changer.
  • Importance of physical education . State your opinion on why PE is so important in life, mentioning examples of famous people.
  • Everyday moral choices. Describe what moral decisions you have to take every day and whether you think you choose right.
  • Daily heroism . Think about the people whose work we do not notice but who have great importance in our lives.

🙋 Easy Classification Essay Topics about Yourself

Essays about yourself are usually one of the simplest topics. It is always easier to write about yourself rather than an abstract object.

If you want to write about yourself, here is a bunch of simple essay topics to consider:

  • My sources of inspiration. You may describe what keeps you going every day.
  • Inspiring stories that changed my life. Here you may remember an inspiring story from your childhood that someone told you or you read yourself.
  • My favorite personality from real life. You could write a descriptive essay about a modern person you know or read about.
  • My favorite book character. The narration might provide an explanation of why you chose this particular character.
  • My favorite success story. You can choose a real-life person who achieved success and describe his or her path.
  • Modern cultural trends in my country. Describe one or two significant cultural trends and elaborate how they are influential on different groups of people.
  • My personal life goals. In this essay, you might critically and retrospectively think about what you wanted to achieve in the past and now. Also, tell about how your goals have changed and what the present motivation behind them is.
  • My modern role model. Describe who you are inspired by and what is so special about him or her.
  • Role models of the past and their relevance to me. This is one of the essays on people where you can review some books or internet sources to find role models of the previous 50 years and discuss their relevance to you personally.
  • A motivational speech I admire. Choose one example of a motivational speech, describe its relevance and how it has changed you.
  • Leisure activities I would rather do. Write an essay about the things you would prefer to occupy your free time with. Mention why you would consider changing your present activities.
  • Motivational quotes that give me strength. A motivational essay on life that sheds light on the words that have special meaning for you. Mention a few examples of how the chosen quotes inspired you to do something.
  • The teacher that inspired me. You might choose this topic if you have such a teacher and write about the things he or she inspired you to do.
  • The most influential person in my life. A descriptive essay that gives the reader an understanding of a personality of a person you chose to write about and how he or she influences you.
  • Essay for a scholarship. A typical scholarship essay where you build your arguments on why you need it and what you will achieve with it.
  • Who am I? A written answer to this existential question lets you enhance your qualities as an essay maker.
  • My place in a world. Another interesting essay where you can write about how you are going to contribute to society as a human being.
  • My culture and ancestry. Here you may elaborate on what your parents’ and grandparents’ culture is and whether you associate yourself with it. If yes, then to what extent.
  • Minimum and maximum of things you need for a living. Describe what you need to live the life you picture for yourself in your worst and sweetest dreams.
  • Internet habits at different times. Here you might research into what people usually did on the internet when it first became available to the masses as compared to what people do there now.
  • Internet behaviors of different social groups. An example of a classifying and divisive essay where you need to identify and tie behaviors to a specific social group .
  • Internet habits in different cultures. Another essay on differences in Internet use. You can ask representatives of other cultures how they usually surf the Internet and write about it.
  • Internet hobbies. Write about how you can productively spend your time online.
  • Influence of games on health . A popular topic where you can express your opinion and cite reputable sources.
  • Gaming habits of boys and girls. An analysis by division where you identify gender differences in gaming habits.
  • Problems of a modern-day social media . Describe a few problems, name their source, and how they influence internet users.
  • My favorite website. State your opinion on why you like this website and describe its contribution to society.
  • Practical ways of searching information on the Internet. Enumerate several techniques and describe how they make the search more productive or easy.
  • Online vs. offline games. A division paper where you need to describe features of online or offline games, stating your opinion on which is best.
  • Online learning techniques. Research sources and create a list of the most useful and practical techniques for learning on the Internet.
  • Online teaching. Imagine yourself in the role of a teacher and describe how you would organize the learning process for your students.
  • Best websites for e-learning . Name a few examples and state their advantages in comparison to others.
  • Internet commerce. A college essay where you can describe ways people sell and buy goods on the Internet.
  • Internet of things. This is one of the essay kinds where you have you be specific about the terms. Give an explanation of the Internet of things and state how it affects today’s world.
  • Big data. Define reputable sources and describe the term’s influence.
  • Future of the Internet technology. Try to imagine what would become of our experience on the Internet in 10-30-50 years.
  • The emergence of the Internet. In a story-telling mode, narrate about the internet was created.
  • Classification of online businesses. Write a categorical essay on the types of online enterprises and their characteristic features.

🤝 Classification and Division Essay Topics about Friends

Here are some classification paper topics for college students about friends:

  • Types of friendship pointed out by Aristotle . Explain the three types of friendships pointed out by Aristotle. What were the reasons for his classification?
  • Importance of friendship in your life. Think about the importance of friendship. What types of friends exist? What importance do they have in your life?
  • The characteristics of friendship. Think of the main characteristics of friendship. What kind of people can you call friends?
  • The major differences between a good friendship and the bad one. Think of some qualities that make up a good or a bad friendship.
  • The effects of friendship. What kind of effects does friendship have on a person? Think about the ways friendship influences a person.
  • Love and friendship. What are the differences between love and friendship? You can come up with the types of characteristics that define friendship and love.
  • The purpose of friendship. What kind of purpose can a friendship have?
  • Friendship and enmity. The difference between friendship and enmity. Think of the qualities that distinguish friendship and enmity.
  • Major qualities of a true friend. What the qualities of a true friend?
  • Friendship and its effect on the person. Think of ways friends can influence one’s character or life.

🎁 Other Analysis by Division Essay Topics

Below you’ll find some extra classification essay topics for various fields and levels of study.

🤽 Classification Essay Topics on Sports

Here are some examples of classification essay topics you can use while writing a division essay about sport:

  • Winter Paralympic sports . Introduce Paralympic games to the reader. Talk about the kinds of sports that people compete in during the games.
  • Changes in Olympic sports. Think of the changes that were introduced to the Olympic games.
  • Challenges associated with team sports. Talk about challenges that team sports deal with. Why is it hard to be a team player?
  • The most expensive sports. List the most expensive sports. Explain why.
  • Extreme Sports. What kinds of sports are considered extreme? Why?

Classification Essay Topics on Music

There are the topics you can use while writing about music:

  • Types of musical instruments.
  • Greatest classical musicians.
  • Major types of music .
  • History of national music .
  • Modern art music.

🎒 Classification Essay Topics for 6 th Graders

Below are some perfect division essay topics for the 6 th Graders:

  • School game sports in your country.
  • Unusual school subjects.
  • Weekend activities in your country.
  • Different political beliefs.
  • Describe different personality types.

Learning how to write good essays may take time and practice; however, it is not impossible. In this article, we have introduced 168 topics for your essay. Don’t hesitate and start writing now – practice makes perfect! Please leave comments and suggest your ideas for the classification essay topics!

That is so helpful thanks!

tnx it is very good

How to Write a Classification Essay?

17 July, 2020

8 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

Classification essay is comparable to painting creation - an artist works on a specific structure that holds the picture’s elements together and glues different layers to create a powerful visual effect. The same principle applies to a writing piece, in which the central role is devoted to getting things in order. In this article, we’ll discuss the main features and components of a great classification essay and share some tips and tricks on how to take your piece of writing to the next level.

Classification Essay

Classification essay definition

We bet the first thing you want to know concerning the topic is what is a classification essay? This is the task which you’ll most likely deal with at some point in your student life. The essence of this assignment is related to categorization and generalization. Remember these two words because they form the true meaning of classification essay. Also, division and classification are those elements of this essay type which highly correlate and have equal importance for essay creation. Therefore, the main task here is to organize or sort things into categories.

Classification Essay Writing

How to write a classification essay 

Careful attention to planning marks the indication of quality in terms of classification essay. At this point, the main task is to learn how to structure the paper. The length of an article may vary, but the most frequently used “five paragraphs” method is typically applied for classification writing. What does this structure suggest? It has to do with a logical division of your essay into blocks and categories, every one of which should clarify a particular issue.

The first and one of the essential paragraphs is the introductory one. It’s an opening which illuminates the matter you’re going to discuss and the subject you’ll categorize. Besides, you can outline the purpose of your classification essay to readers to bring more clarity into the discussion. Answer the question of why you are categorizing the chosen items and what criteria you use for each of them. Then, you’ll need to close the introduction paragraph with a thesis. It will briefly sum up the objective of your classification and division essay, and identify the categories which you’ll be using for a paper.

The second part is the essay body. Here, a couple of paragraphs are applicable, preferably 3 and more. The most critical nuance you should remember while composing a body is that each paragraph will deal with a separate category. The best way to organize the central part of your division essay is to explain the criteria for each category and desirably, discuss strengths and weaknesses. More importantly, you should include examples that’ll back up your statements with a piece of evidence. Notably, there should be an equal amount of examples for every category to spread the evidence evenly. If your paragraphs in the main body are lengthy, you can also divide them into shorter ones to create a smooth transition between the blocks of text and improve readability.

The final paragraph of your classification essay is a conclusion. The closing statements will sum up the different categories highlighted in the body. Also, it’s advisable to restate each category and advise readers on the subject matter. However, if you choose to recommend this or that topic over the others, don’t forget to state the reason for your stance. This way, readers will take into account your well-grounded explanation, which is deprived of subjectivity, and make relevant conclusions for themselves.

Classification Essay Structure

Apart from the basic understanding of classification essay structure , you should also get prepared for the writing process. For many, implementing theory on practice is even more challenging than the stage of composing an essay. Nonetheless, with enough patience and endurance, this process is really not so bad after all. So, what steps do you need to make in order to prepare well for classification paper writing?

First things first, planning is everything when it comes to the assignment that implies classification. Without a clear and coherent plan, there’s no way you can write a good paper. Therefore, make sure that you have a robust scheme before writing your essay. For this, proceed with the following planning steps:

  • Generate Ideas. Evidently, your essay won’t write itself. If your professor has not assigned you a specific topic, it’s time to do some brainstorming. Remember – you need to choose a group of people, things, or ideas that can be easily divided into categories and then compared.
  • Choose Your Classification Method. Aim at one principle for classification for each category you describe. For example, if you write about people, you can categorize them by age, gender, appearance, or other factors. This will help you better structure your essay and make it look more organized in the eyes of readers.
  • Create a Thesis Statement. As previously mentioned, the thesis statement is the element which closes the introduction of your classification essay. It should include such information as the subject matter, the categories, and the criteria used to classify each category. Besides, you can note down the purpose of your division into these categories.

Preparation for Classification Essay

Classification essay outline

The outline is a general description or plan that schematically displays the main points of your essay. The main point of an outline is to help you see the structure of your essay and use it as a useful guide for writing. Usually, a typical outline describes the essence of each point in one sentence. Also, bullet points are not uncommon, so you can use them to arrange a plan the way you feel is the most appropriate.

Classification essay topics

There is a plethora of themes and subjects for division classification essays to choose from, but most of them are hard to think of straight away. That’s why we’ve collected the list of the top used classification topics for you to facilitate the process of generating ideas or searching for ones elsewhere.

  • The most popular devices students use nowadays
  • Colors and their meaning in the paintings of Frida Kahlo
  • The evolution of rock-music types
  • Standard methods students use to prepare for exams
  • Public speakers that have moved the world  
  • Unique factors to determine a successful relationship  
  • How to improve child-parent relationships
  • Main motives to start a political career
  • Learning techniques for college students
  • Types of TV comedy shows
  • Traveling destinations
  • The main types of mobile applications
  • Communication possibilities online
  • Strategies for making decisions in business
  • Leadership and leader types
  • Conflicts at the job and ways to cope with them
  • The motivation for doing sports
  • Methods to reduce stress

No matter which theme you choose for your classification essay and what techniques you implement to make them elaborated, remember always to keep the structure in mind. The first step to writing this type of assignment is not just sitting and jotting down detached ideas, but planning out clear statements which can later be transmitted on paper. Hopefully, our advice will help you on the way to writing an excellent classification essay which your professor will mark with an A+ grade.

Problems with writing Your Classification Essay? Try our Online Essay Writer Service!

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

Self-Care: Physical and Mental Health Essay

Introduction, improving the quality of life and improving their self-management skills.

There is no doubt that self-care remains one of the most important notions connected to the spheres of social work and healthcare. Speaking about self-care, it is necessary to say that the notion includes anything related to physical and mental health that can be controlled by the person. Therefore, the significance of self-care cannot be overstated as it can be called a basis of health condition. Realizing the importance of such activity, many specialists extend their knowledge on the principles of self-care to be ready to consult their clients effectively. Thus, it is necessary to discuss certain attributes of the self-care that can be called the most important to success in the counseling relationships.

To begin with, promoting self-care and giving an advisory opinion concerning it, the specialist has to attract the clients’ attention to the fact that they are unable to achieve a better quality of life without improving their skills at self-management (Pulvirenti, McMillan, & Lawn, 2014). Also, there is a variety of approaches that can be used to improve self-care, and it is essential to introduce the client to all of them. The approaches include the use of different regular exercise programs, diets, the proper and regular use of medicinal drugs or folk remedies, and stopping bad habits. In this connection, it is also necessary to remember that self-care should be performed based on the specific situation of the client, and the specialist needs to know everything that should be taken into consideration during counseling.

As for the concept of supervision and mentoring connected to personal theory development, I suppose that this question seems to be easier than it is. On the one hand, mentoring remains an extremely important measure applied in different spheres as it allows one to encourage people to do necessary things that they would prefer to ignore (Knott & Scragg, 2016, p. 40). On the other hand, some clients would like to feel that they are not urged to do something and the intention to yield advice is their own decision. Nevertheless, it often happens that people lack knowledge of the concepts of self-care and the particular diseases and disorders that they suffer from; in such cases, self-medication about the specialist’s advice is not enough for success. Instead, due to people’s lack of specific education, mentoring needs to be regarded as a necessary step in any work connected to mental and physical health. Developing the personal theory, it is necessary to consider the importance of supervision that cannot be substituted by another practice because many people are just unable to do necessary things regularly if nobody controls them. In such a way, their problems may become even more serious and it means that supervision is critical for success in the majority of cases.

Also, it is necessary to discuss the specific personal qualities that help people to develop their therapeutic-selves. The latter involves people’s ability to define and take measures that will help them to mitigate or even estrange the negative consequences of their problem. To begin with, such development is almost impossible if the person lacks self-confidence. I am sure that this quality is critical because its absence encourages the person to see no opportunities to address the issue. Besides, it is important to develop self-control because an ability to help yourself is closely connected to making yourself do the things that are necessary and avoiding doing the things that seem to be more attractive but may deteriorate the situation.

Knott, C., & Scragg, T. (2016). Reflective practice in social work . London, UK: Learning Matters.

Pulvirenti, M., McMillan, J., & Lawn, S. (2014). Empowerment, patient-centred care and self-management. Health Expectations , 17 (3), 303-310.

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Bibliography

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What Is Self-Care and Why Is It Important?

4 Ways to Practice Self-Care

What Is Self-Care?

  • Building a Self-Care Plan

Self-care is the practice of taking care of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness.

While many people may view self-care as a form of selfish indulgence, the act of caring for oneself is an important part of a person's overall well-being.

Many people do not fully understand what self-care means. Read on to find out more about what self-care is, examples of practicing self-care, and why it’s important for your mental and physical health.

Maskot / Getty Images

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care is being able to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.

The WHO also mentions that self-care is a broad term and many facets of a person’s life come into play, including:

  • Hygiene (general and personal)
  • Lifestyle factors such as exercise level and leisure activities
  • Environmental factors such as a person’s living conditions or social habits
  • Socioeconomic factors such as a person’s income level or cultural beliefs
  • Self-medication and following treatment plans for current illnesses

The main goal of self-care is to prevent or control disease and preserve overall well-being through consistently taking care of various aspects of your health.

For a person to practice true self-care, they must use personal responsibility and self-reliance in a way that positively impacts their health in the current moment and the future.

Overindulgence in spending

Binge-eating your favorite but unhealthy foods

Participating in activities that provide instant gratification

Going on expensive and lavish vacations

Perfecting oneself by any means necessary

Numbing bad feelings using alcohol or illicit substances

Binge-watching television

Prioritizing one's physical and mental health

Adopting healthy lifestyle habits that can be maintained long-term

Eating a healthy diet

Finding exercise activities that you enjoy and participating in them regularly

Getting an adequate amount of good-quality sleep

Following treatment plans for existing conditions accordingly

Taking time out for yourself to participate in healthy activities you enjoy

What Types of Self-Care Are There?

Various forms of self-care involve different activities or actions. Each form is as important as the other and drives optimal health and well-being.

Physical Health

Taking care of your physical health is a form of self-care that helps improve quality of life and prevent or manage chronic conditions.

Physical self-care will be different for each person, but ways you can practice physical self-care include:

  • Getting the proper amount of exercise
  • Eating regular, well-balanced meals that are mostly whole foods and staying hydrated
  • Engaging in relaxing activities that can help manage stress
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Getting regular medical and dental care

Mental Health

Mental self-care is designed to drive a healthy mind by practicing brain-stimulating activities and healthy mental behaviors. Mental self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy.

While no two people are the same, these strategies can help you manage stress and stimulate your mind:

  • Use relaxation programs or apps regularly to incorporate meditation, yoga, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. 
  • Practice gratitude by reminding yourself daily of things you are grateful for. Write them down at night or replay them in your mind.
  • Participate in creative activities you enjoy.
  • Read a book or do a puzzle.
  • Play games such as Scrabble, crossword puzzles, or other brain teasers.
  • Try a new hobby.
  • Engage in exercise.
  • Take adult education classes.
  • Seek help from a professional as needed.

Relationships

Having healthy relationships is a form of social self-care all its own. Research has shown that different forms of relationships, whether they be romantic, platonic, or familial, can all benefit overall health and well-being.

On the flip side, not having healthy relationships can be detrimental to health. When people lack platonic relationships, they are more likely to be subject to psychological distress and engage in unhealthy behaviors.  

Ways to foster relationships include:

  • Regularly scheduling get-togethers (coffee, a walk, a meal, going to the movies, or just hanging out) with friends or family members
  • Connecting with community or faith-based groups
  • Volunteering for a local organization
  • Joining a local group, such as a hiking club, knitting group, or other interest group

Not everyone has a spiritual or religious need. However, for some people nurturing their spirit allows them to connect on a deeper level with themselves and to think beyond themselves.

Spiritual self-care practices might include:

  • Hiking or spending time in nature
  • Listening to inspirational music
  • Going to church or attending virtual spiritual activities or groups
  • Talking with a spiritual advisor

Why Is Self-Care Important?

Practicing self-care regularly can bring about both short- and long-term benefits that lead to improved well-being and an improved health status.

In the short term, people who practice self-care can see positive changes such as:

  • Reduced stress levels : Putting your health and needs first along with giving yourself a bit of rest can significantly reduce stress levels.
  • Increasing self-worth : The more you take care of yourself, the better you will feel about who you are as a person. This is because more of your core needs will be met on a regular basis.
  • Feelings of belonging : A short-term benefit of spending time with others will provide feelings of belonging and love, which is good for your overall mental health.

While the short-term benefits of self-care are good, the long-term benefits are what self-care is more focused on. Some long-term benefits include:

  • Managing chronic conditions: By practicing physical and mental self-care strategies, conditions such as depression, diabetes, and heart disease can be more effectively managed.
  • Disease prevention: Implementing self-care practices, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and stress management techniques, reduces the risk of heart attack , stroke , and obesity in the future.
  • Stress reduction: Stress affects all systems in the body. Chronic stress can lead to chronic health conditions. Practicing self-care that reduces chronic stress can help lower the risk of developing health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, and more.
  • Healthier relationships: When taking better care of our personal needs, we are better able to engage in healthy relationships partially due to increased self-esteem and self-worth.
  • Improved job satisfaction: A study of nurses found those who implemented intentional self-care practices had significantly higher job satisfaction. The authors suggest implementing self-care practices could improve job satisfaction and teamwork while reducing burnout.
  • Reduced burnout: Authors of a review of multiple studies concluded the solution for burnout is complex, but self-care strategies are one of several components that could be effective.
  • Improved quality of life: When self-care practices help to better manage health conditions, reduce stress, or create a greater sense of belonging, overall well-being and quality of life improve.

How to Practice Self-Care

Building your perfect self-care plan will depend on your personal health and lifestyle. To create a plan to encourage better health and well-being:

  • Determine your overall level of health: Once you know your starting point health-wise, you can begin adding or subtracting certain activities or stressors in your life to focus on improving your health.
  • Identify your stressors: Make a list of things that cause you stress in all aspects of your life. The next step is to do your best to avoid certain stressors. If they are unavoidable, teach yourself coping techniques that can help lessen your stress reaction to certain situations.
  • Identify your coping strategies: Everyone develops strategies to cope with health issues, stress, and other life problems. Make a list of your coping strategies and see which ones are healthy and which ones aren’t. The unhealthy ones that don't serve you well can be swapped out for healthier coping mechanisms.

After completing these three steps, you can begin to formulate a plan that you can commit to.

Self-Care Strategies for People With Chronic Disease

If you have a chronic disease, your self-care plan may look a little different than that of someone who does not. This is only because you will have to incorporate certain activities that will benefit you. For example, if you have diabetes , ensure that coping strategies and activities you utilize as self-care help you manage your condition while you follow your treatment plan.

Self-care is the practice of taking care of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness. It is a lifestyle that enables you to set aside time for your health to ensure your overall well-being now and for years to come.

If you do adopt the right techniques to care for yourself, you will be able to reap the benefits, such as better physical and mental health, the prevention or better management of disease, and better personal and workplace relationships.

World Health Organization. What do we mean by self-care?

National Institute of Mental Health. Caring for your mental health .

Holt-Lunstad J. Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors: The Power of Social Connection in Prevention . Am J Lifestyle Med. 2021 May 6;15(5):567-573. doi: 10.1177/15598276211009454

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Wilson SJ. Lovesick: How Couples' Relationships Influence Health. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2017 May 8;13:421-443. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045111

David D, Dalton J, Magny-Normilus C, Brain MM, Linster T, Lee SJ. The Quality of Family Relationships, Diabetes Self-Care, and Health Outcomes in Older Adults. Diabetes Spectr. 2019 May;32(2):132-138. doi:10.2337/ds18-0039

Amati V, Meggiolaro S, Rivellini G, Zaccarin S. Social relations and life satisfaction: the role of friends. Genus. 2018;74(1):7. doi:10.1186/s41118-018-0032-z

Riegel B, Moser DK, Buck HG, et al. American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease; and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Self-Care for the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Aug 31;6(9):e006997. doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.006997

American Psychological Association. Stress effects on the body .

Monroe C, Loresto F, Horton-Deutsch S, et al. The value of intentional self-care practices: The effects of mindfulness on improving job satisfaction, teamwork, and workplace environments . Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2021 Apr;35(2):189-194. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2020.10.003

Adnan NBB, Dafny HA, Baldwin C, Jakimowitz S, et al. What are the solutions for well-being and burn-out for healthcare professionals? An umbrella realist review of learnings of individual-focused interventions for critical care . BMJ Open. 2022 Sep 8;12(9):e060973. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-060973

California State University Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling. How to Create an Individualized Self-Care Plan.

By Angelica Bottaro Bottaro has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and an Advanced Diploma in Journalism. She is based in Canada.

Classification Essay

Classification Essay Topics

Caleb S.

A List of 270+ Classification Essay Topics for Your Next Assignment

14 min read

Classification Essay Topics

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A Beginner’s Guide to Classification Essay + Examples, Topics, & Tips

Classification Essay Outline - A Step By Step Guide

Are you tired of the same old essay topics? Do you find yourself stuck in the monotony of choosing a classification essay topic? 

Choosing a perfect topic that is both interesting and impactful can be challenging sometimes, especially when you are short on time, but fret not! 

In this blog, we've got you covered with 270+ classification essay ideas for all academic levels. From science to arts and literature, we've handpicked topics for all major subjects for your classification essay . We'll also share tips on how to pick the perfect topic that suits you. 

So, let's dive into the classification topics right here!

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  • 1. Classification Essay Topics for 6th Grade Students
  • 2. Classification Essay Topics Middle School
  • 3. Classification Essay Topics For High School
  • 4. Classification Essay Topics For College Students
  • 5. Classification Essay Topics for ESL Students
  • 6. Classification  Essay Topics About School
  • 7. Classification  Essay Topics About Books and Literature
  • 8. Classification  Essays About Science
  • 9. Classification  Essay Topics About Technology
  • 10. Classification Essay Topics on Psychology
  • 11. Classification  Essay Topics About Health
  • 12. Classification Essay Topics on History
  • 13. Classification Essay Topics Sports
  • 14. Classification Essay Topics Business
  • 15. Classification Essay Topics Politics
  • 16. Classification Essay Topics Arts
  • 17. Classification  Essay Topics About Music
  • 18. Classification  Essay Topics About Movies and TV Shows
  • 19. Classification  Essay Topics About Shopping and Clothes
  • 20. Classification  Essay Topics About Travel and Tourism
  • 21. Good Classification  Essay Topics About Life
  • 22. Classification  Essay Topics About Food 
  • 23. Classification  Essay Topics About Animals
  • 24. Classification Essay Topics Mental Health
  • 25. Classification and Division Essay Topics 
  • 26. Easy Classification Essay Topics
  • 27. Funny Classification Essay Topics 
  • 28. Tips to Pick a Classification Essay Topic
  • 29. Tips For Writing A Classification Essay

Classification Essay Topics for 6th Grade Students

  • Types of animals found in rainforests
  • Subdivisions of the Olympic games.
  • Classification of Physiological Disease
  • The three best global cuisines
  • The best ways to prepare for a final exam.
  • Common allergies today
  • Different types of self-care.
  • Different styles of art in history
  • Kinds of science experiments for beginners
  • Types of plants in a garden

Classification Essay Topics Middle School

  • Classifying historical events that shaped our world
  • Types of ecosystems and their characteristics
  • Varieties of poetry forms and their structures
  • Different types of volcanoes and their eruptions
  • Elements in the Periodic Table
  • Kinds of geometric shapes and their properties
  • Categorizing ancient civilizations by achievements
  • Types of biomes and their distinctive features
  • Different genres of fictional literature
  • Classifying cellular structures in living organisms

Classification Essay Topics For High School

  • Classifying literary movements in modern literature
  • Types of political systems and their characteristics
  • Varieties of environmental conservation strategies
  • Different approaches to solving complex math problems
  • Classifying major historical wars and their impact
  • Kinds of computer programming languages
  • Categorizing art movements throughout history
  • Types of energy resources and their sustainability
  • Different genres of music and their influences
  • Classifying types of psychological disorders

Classification Essay Topics For College Students

  • Classifying modern philosophical movements
  • Types of sustainable business practices
  • Varieties of marketing strategies in the digital age
  • Different learning styles and their effectiveness
  • Classifying programming languages for data science
  • Kinds of entrepreneurial ventures and their models
  • Categorizing architectural styles in urban design
  • Types of renewable energy technologies
  • Different genres of documentary filmmaking
  • Classifying approaches to global economic development

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Classification Essay Topics for ESL Students

  • Classifying traditional foods from different cultures
  • Types of social media platforms and their uses
  • Varieties of transportation systems in metropolitan areas
  • Different learning apps for language acquisition
  • Classifying historical landmarks in ESL-speaking countries
  • Kinds of environmental issues and solutions
  • Categorizing cultural celebrations around the world
  • Types of leisure activities for language practice
  • Different genres of multicultural literature
  • Classifying global business communication styles

Classification  Essay Topics About School

  • Effective study habits for academic success
  • Types of peer-to-peer learning strategies
  • Varieties of student leadership roles in extracurricular activities
  • Different approaches to creative writing styles
  • Classifying career paths in STEM disciplines
  • Kinds of artistic expression in visual arts classes
  • Categorizing healthy eating habits for student-athletes
  • Types of historical movements explored in social studies
  • Different genres of music explored in music classes
  • Classifying coding languages for computer science projects

Classification  Essay Topics About Books and Literature

  • Classifying classic novels by literary movements
  • Types of narrative structures in fiction
  • Varieties of poetic forms and their significance
  • Different genres of mystery and detective fiction
  • Classifying autobiographies and memoirs
  • Kinds of fantasy worlds in literature
  • Categorizing Shakespearean plays by themes
  • Types of social commentary in contemporary literature
  • Different approaches to science fiction subgenres
  • Classifying non-fiction books by subject matter

Classification  Essays About Science

  • Classifying types of renewable energy sources
  • Varieties of cellular structures in biology
  • Different categories of chemical reactions
  • Classifying astronomical phenomena in space
  • Types of environmental pollution and their impact
  • Categorizing biomes and ecosystems
  • Varieties of scientific research methodologies
  • Different approaches to genetic engineering
  • Classifying elements on the periodic table
  • Types of renewable and non-renewable resources

Classification  Essay Topics About Technology

  • Classifying types of mobile apps for productivity
  • Varieties of programming languages and their applications
  • Different genres of video games and their appeal
  • Classifying social media platforms by user interaction
  • Types of cybersecurity threats and prevention measures
  • Categorizing wearable technologies and their functions
  • Varieties of e-commerce models in the digital age
  • Different approaches to user interface design
  • Classifying types of artificial intelligence applications
  • Types of emerging technologies in information technology

Classification Essay Topics on Psychology

  • Types of psychological disorders and their symptoms
  • Varieties of therapeutic approaches in counseling
  • Different categories of personality traits
  • Learning theories in educational psychology
  • Types of memory processes and their significance
  • Mental health stigmas and awareness campaigns
  • Varieties of psychological development theories
  • Different approaches to stress management techniques
  • Types of psychological testing
  • Types of motivation theories in behavioral psychology

Classification  Essay Topics About Health

  • Types of exercise for physical fitness
  • Varieties of dietary plans and their benefits
  • Different approaches to stress reduction techniques
  • Mental health strategies for well-being
  • Types of alternative medicine and their practices
  • Health benefits of regular sleep patterns
  • Varieties of fitness apps for personal well-being
  • Different types of diets for weight management
  • Classifying types of cardiovascular exercises
  • Types of meditation techniques for mindfulness

Classification Essay Topics on History

  • Ancient civilizations by cultural achievements
  • Varieties of historical revolutions and their impacts
  • Different categories of military strategies in wars
  • Major world religions and their beliefs
  • Types of political movements throughout history
  • Historical figures by contributions
  • Varieties of architectural styles in different eras
  • Different types of government systems in history
  • Economic systems in various periods
  • Types of cultural exchanges in historical trade routes

Classification Essay Topics Sports

  • Types of team sports and their dynamics
  • Olympic Games and their historical significance
  • Categories of individual sports and their skills
  • Popular sports fan cultures
  • Types of training methods in athletic conditioning
  • Extreme sports and their adrenaline rush
  • Varieties of sports equipment and their applications
  • Different approaches to sports psychology techniques
  • Types of outdoor adventure sports
  • Types of sports nutrition plans for athletes

Classification Essay Topics Business

  • Business models in e-commerce
  • Varieties of marketing strategies for small businesses
  • Different approaches to corporate leadership styles
  • Types of entrepreneurial ventures
  • Types of financial management strategies in business
  • Categorizing customer relationship management practices
  • Varieties of business ethics and corporate social responsibility
  • Different categories of international business models
  • Types of advertising techniques
  • Types of business negotiation styles and approaches

Classification Essay Topics Politics

  • Political ideologies and their core tenets
  • Varieties of electoral systems and their impacts
  • Different approaches to international relations theories
  • Types of political parties and their platforms
  • Types of political leadership styles and their effects
  • Forms of government corruption
  • Varieties of human rights issues in global politics
  • Different categories of political activism strategies
  • Types of diplomatic negotiation techniques
  • Types of political campaign strategies and messaging

Classification Essay Topics Arts

  • Types of Olympic sports and their distinctions
  • Different team sports and their unique dynamics
  • Various athletic training programs for performance
  • Extreme sports and the thrill they offer
  • Martial arts and the philosophies behind them
  • Nutrition plans tailored for sports enthusiasts
  • Water sports and their distinct challenges
  • Approaches to understanding sports psychology
  • Diverse sports fans and their levels of enthusiasm
  • Common sports injuries and effective rehabilitation techniques

Classification  Essay Topics About Music

  • Genres of music and their cultural roots
  • Types of musical instruments and their sounds
  • Various songwriting techniques in music
  • Music festivals categorized by themes
  • Different styles of vocal performance
  • Music production technologies in categories
  • Varieties of dance styles in music videos
  • Different genres of electronic music
  • Music therapy approaches for well-being
  • Music genres classified by mood and tempo

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Classification  Essay Topics About Movies and TV Shows

  • Film genres and their unique characteristics
  • Types of TV show formats and their popularity
  • Various cinematic storytelling techniques
  • Different approaches to film editing styles
  • Streaming platforms and their content diversity
  • Categorizing movie genres by audience appeal
  • Iconic TV show characters and their traits
  • Cinematic genres and their impact on culture
  • Types of film scores and their emotional influence
  • TV show themes classified by genre

Classification  Essay Topics About Shopping and Clothes

  • Types of fashion styles and their influences
  • Different shopping habits and consumer trends
  • Varieties of clothing fabrics and their comfort
  • Fashion accessories categorized by function
  • Sustainable fashion practices and their impact
  • Categorizing clothing brands by target audience
  • Types of shopping platforms and their convenience
  • Different approaches to thrift store shopping
  • Essential wardrobe items for every season
  • Fashion influencers and their style niches

Classification  Essay Topics About Travel and Tourism

  • Adventure travel types and their thrills
  • Approaches to cultural tourism
  • Accommodation options for travelers
  • Travel destinations classified by climate
  • Sustainable tourism practices and impact
  • Transportation modes for travel categorized
  • Food tourism and culinary experiences
  • Styles of solo travel and exploration
  • Popular tourist attractions categorized by type
  • Travel budgeting strategies

Good Classification  Essay Topics About Life

  • Life goals and personal aspirations variety
  • Different approaches to time management
  • Varieties of problem-solving strategies
  • Interpersonal communication styles categorized
  • Types of coping mechanisms for stress
  • Online learning styles categorized for personal growth
  • Relationship types and dynamics variety
  • Different philosophies on a meaningful life
  • Hobbies and leisure activities variety
  • Wellness practices for a balanced life types

Classification  Essay Topics About Food 

  • Global cuisine types and their flavors
  • Approaches to vegetarian diets
  • Varieties of cooking techniques in culinary arts
  • Dessert styles and sweet treats categorized
  • Street food cultures around the world
  • Coffee and tea varieties classified
  • Ethnic spices and their uses
  • Styles of food presentation
  • Cooking shows and their formats
  • Regional food specialties and their significance

Classification  Essay Topics About Animals

  • Mammals and their diverse habitats
  • Categories of bird species worldwide
  • Marine life and ecosystems variety
  • Reptiles distinguished by physical traits
  • Insect behaviors and adaptive features
  • Amphibians and their different life stages
  • Endangered species and conservation efforts
  • Animal communication methods in the wild
  • Domesticated pets classified by traits
  • Nocturnal animals and their unique adaptations

Classification Essay Topics Mental Health

  • Mental health disorders and their symptoms
  • Coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety
  • Therapeutic approaches in counseling
  • Mental health apps and resources categorized
  • Meditation techniques for mindfulness
  • Support systems for mental well-being
  • Mental health stigmas and awareness
  • Approaches to mental health education
  • Mental health advocacy organizations classified
  • Holistic practices for mental wellness

Classification and Division Essay Topics 

  • Calming techniques that work
  • Ways of coping with stress.
  • Types of vitamins necessary for a healthy body.
  • Classify school teaching methods
  • The stages in computer evolution
  • Good teachers vs. bad teachers
  • Types of shopping behaviors
  • How do different people treat flights?
  • What are the different political parties?
  • Family dinner ideas

Easy Classification Essay Topics

  • Strategies to save money
  • Types of sellers 
  • Leadership skills
  • Techniques to stay healthy
  • Benefits of a balanced diet
  • Ways to treat depression
  • Forms of political systems
  • Types of friends in a class
  • Roles of women in different societies
  • Types of workplace bullying  

Funny Classification Essay Topics 

  • Ways to a woman’s heart
  • Myths about Santa Claus 
  • How to make your parents love you
  • Ways to annoy people 
  • How to avoid people 
  • Classification of the types of sleepers 
  • Different types of laughter
  • Halloween makeup ideas 
  • How to avoid apologizing to people
  • Myths about the tooth fairy

Tips to Pick a Classification Essay Topic

Here are some tips for selecting a good classification essay topic:

  • Passion Ignites Interest: Choose a topic that sparks your curiosity and passion; your enthusiasm will shine through your words.
  • Audience Appeal: Consider your audience's interests. A captivating topic for them ensures engagement and a compelling read.
  • Controversy Adds Flavor: Pick a subject with diverse opinions. Controversial topics often lead to thought-provoking discussions.
  • Relevance Matters: Opt for a topic that relates to current events or trends. Relevance adds immediacy and interest.
  • Scope and Depth: Ensure the topic has enough depth for exploration but isn't too broad. Striking a balance is key for a focused essay.
  • Uncover Uncommon Angles: Explore unique perspectives within common topics. Unusual angles make your essay stand out.
  • Personal Connection: If possible, choose a topic that holds personal significance. Your genuine connection will enhance your writing.

Tips For Writing A Classification Essay

A division and classification essay is a type of essay where you categorize and organize different items into distinct groups. This essay type allows you to showcase your analytical skills by sorting things into specific categories based on shared characteristics.

Here are some essential tips for writing a perfect classification essay:

Choose a Topic Wisely

Start by selecting a topic idea that genuinely interests you from the provided classification essay topics list. Consider the purpose of your essay and choose a subject that allows for diverse categorization.

Craft a Thoughtful Thesis Statement

Develop a strong thesis statement that clearly indicates the categories you will explore in your essay. Ensure your thesis is specific and provides a roadmap for your readers.

Create an Essay Outline

Plan your essay by creating your classification essay outline . This helps organize your thoughts and maintain a logical flow. Break down your essay into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Don't Forget to Include Examples

Support your categories with concrete examples to illustrate each classification. Providing examples enhances the clarity and understanding of your essay.

Be Mindful of Your Audience

Consider your audience when choosing a topic for a classification essay. Ensure it's something that resonates with them and piques their interest.

Revise and Refine

After writing your first draft, revisit your work for revisions. Ensure that each category is distinct and that your essay effectively achieves its purpose.

Emphasize Clear Organization

Maintain a clear and logical organization throughout your essay. Each category should have a distinct purpose, and transitions between categories should be smooth.

Check for Consistency

Verify the consistency of your classifications. Ensure that each category aligns with your overall thesis. Eliminate any overlap or confusion between categories.

Remember, the key to a successful classification essay lies in thoughtful organization, clear examples, and a well-defined thesis statement.

In conclusion, we hope this blog has been a valuable resource in helping you select the perfect topic for your classification essay. Our curated list of ideas aims to inspire and guide you in crafting a compelling and well-organized essay. 

However, if you still find yourself unsure of where to begin your classification essay journey, don't hesitate to seek professional help. 

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Classification Essay

  • 150 Classification Essay Topics and Ideas

In a classification essay, you divide the subject into categories . To create these categories, you single out certain attributes of things. You can classify them according to their characteristics, themes, or traits.

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Sounds complicated? Be sure that any high school or college student can manage this type of essay!

This article gives you a wide variety of classification essay topic ideas. It also provides tips with examples for writing an on-point classification and division essay. And remember, our custom writing team is always ready to help you with your assignments.

  • 🔝 Top 10 Topics
  • ✅ How-to Guide
  • 🍎 Health and Nutrition
  • 🤔 Psychology
  • 🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏽 Society

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 classification essay topics.

  • Worldwide trading structures
  • Essential plant nutrients classification
  • The 4 types of monopoly in economics
  • Voting system types around the world
  • What are the types of communication?
  • Strategies for decision making in business
  • Accessible ways to protect the environment
  • Different age groups’ workplace behaviors
  • The factors which influence consumer behavior
  • What factors contribute to the unemployment rate?

✅ How to Write a Classification Essay

The purpose of a classification essay is to deliver a clear presentation of a subject. You do it by dividing the subject into categories. Then, you arrange the information into groups in a logical sequence. Follow these steps, and you’ll be able to write an excellent classification essay:

  • Choose a topic. Pick one of the topics presented below or make up your own.
  • Come up with a thesis. It needs to be an attention-grabbing sentence. Most importantly, it should reflect the main purpose of your paper. Take your time with this one.

Come up with a thesis.

  • Tip: Classification essay outline consist of an introduction, three categories, and a conclusion.

Write an outline. Example.

  • Tip: At this stage, feel free to make changes in your outline or thesis. Be sure to keep the logical flow of your essay.
  • Write a fantastic classification essay. Continue to polish the draft paragraph by paragraph. Don’t forget to provide examples for each category. Also, make sure that everything you’ve written is connected with the thesis.
  • Proofread and turn in. Go over your paper a few times, and let one or two peers read it. Correct it if necessary, and turn it in!

🍎 Health and Nutrition Classification Ideas

There are so many things to classify when it comes to food and wellness. Think of different diets, sports activities, and self-care methods. All these are your options when choosing a topic for a classification essay.

  • What products can be included in a vegan diet to get enough protein?
  • Find out what foods are essential for athletes.
  • Research healthy meal plan ideas for college students.
  • Write about types of anemia and their diagnosis methods.
  • What foods can potentially prolong our lives?
  • Weight loss activities that don’t require a gym membership.
  • Research various diets that help lose weight .
  • Benefits of switching from junk food to home-cooked meals.
  • Types of vitamins necessary for a healthy body.
  • Research the dimensions of dieting and wellness.
  • What foods should one give up to prevent diabetes?
  • Ways to protect knees and back while exercising.
  • Types of diabetes mellitus: the role of insulin.
  • Consequences of not drinking enough water.
  • What minerals are essential for a person’s health?
  • How to receive enough carbohydrates without gaining extra weight.
  • What are the most common diet myths?
  • What can an office worker do to keep their body healthy?
  • Things everyone should know to be protected from HIV.
  • Benefits of including fruit and vegetables in one’s daily ration.

🤔 Psychology Classification Essay Topics

Psychology focuses on the human brain and behavior. This discipline combines medicine and philosophy, so there are several approaches to it. You can write about emotions, attitudes, and therapy methods. Or, take a scientific approach and discuss the biological side of disorders.

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Feel free to pick one of these classification essay ideas on psychology:

  • What events are most likely to cause post-traumatic stress disorders ?
  • Types of therapies in modern psychology .
  • Gender dysphoria: classification, causes and treatment.
  • What causes anxiety among college students?
  • Most common childhood mental disorders.
  • Types of behavior disorders.
  • What are the most effective ways of overcoming anxiety?
  • Research various types and causes of the most common phobias .
  • Ways of befriending a person with a disorder.
  • Write about the definition and classification of responsibilities.
  • What factors contribute to the global developmental delay?
  • What are the 3 types of communication disorders ?
  • How a person with ADHD can remain a functional member of society.
  • Ways of coping with BPD in everyday life.
  • Describe the major types of depression.
  • How can a teenager overcome anorexic tendencies?
  • Research different causes of sleep disorders in the U.S.

Common sleep disorders.

  • What are the symptoms of compulsive gambling ?
  • What are the most successful methods of treating OCD ?
  • Discuss the main types of memory and their functions.

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏽 Classification and Division Essay Topics on Society

A society consists of individuals who share surroundings, interactions, and culture. People are complicated, and so are the societies they live in. Here are several topic ideas for classification essay that touch on various sociological aspects:

  • Discuss organizational culture, its types, and success factors.
  • What values should a society have to live in harmony?
  • Research the specifics of the most populated U.S. states.
  • What are the elements of American culture?
  • Write about the leading causes of large-scale conflicts.
  • Discover the types of social segmentation in a community.
  • Research the main categories of social groups and their functions.
  • How does the music industry influence today’s teenagers?
  • What new social trends appeared after COVID-19 pandemic?
  • What are the most fun ways to socialize with friends?
  • Types and effects of cyberbullying.
  • How can a country recover from an extended period of social unrest?
  • Write about the necessary aspects of interpersonal relationships .
  • National holidays that have shaped the U.S. as a nation.
  • What traditions can help a family to maintain loving relationships ?
  • Common traits between all sports fan groups.
  • What challenges do law enforcement members face daily?
  • Describe different types of cognitive bias.
  • What makes a good U.S. citizen?
  • Research how businesses grab the attention of modern customers.

🧪 Science Classification Topics

Science continuously challenges our mindset. It also provides endless knowledge about the world. Today, there are an enormous number of scientific disciplines. Each one of them is further classified into sub-categories. Classification is at the core of science, so don’t hesitate to break down one of the following essay topics:

  • What are the main vaccines that every person should get?
  • What are the positive effects of vaccines on the human body?
  • Reasons why DNA roles are important.
  • What accessible technologies are able to improve eyesight?
  • What are the health effects of chemicals used in food packaging ?
  • The uses of statistical tables in science.

Henry Lewes quote.

  • Research the branches of biological sciences.
  • What are the known types of black holes?
  • What disproves that life exists on other planets ?
  • The most important rocket launches in history.
  • Discuss the communication methods invented over the last fifty years.
  • Research types of telescopes that are currently used.
  • Typology and examples of measuring tendency.
  • What are the modern ways of overcoming allergies?
  • Main branches of ecology.
  • What are the effects of computer technologies on the human brain ?
  • Research the most important inventions in computer science.
  • What branches of technology are actively using radio waves?
  • Computers: their classification, history, and development.
  • How is face recognition technology used by businesses and the government?

📜 Classification Essay Topics on History

History is full of exciting events, dramatic turns, and cautionary tales. It also includes life stories of remarkable people who made a difference. Consider these classification essay topics and prompts on history:

  • How can political leaders maintain peace and security?
  • Slavery in different periods of American history.
  • Reasons why the Mayan civilization was highly influential.
  • The most celebrated episodes in Britain’s history .
  • Types of revolutions that took place in 19th century America.
  • Discuss the countries that formed the Soviet Union.
  • The most significant U.S. presidents.
  • Research ancient philosophers who laid the foundations for psychology.
  • Reasons why Julius Caesar is one of the greatest leaders in history.
  • The most significant accomplishments of Leonardo Da Vinci.
  • Abraham Lincoln’s legacy in the American constitution and culture.
  • Milestones of Adolf Hitler’s rise and fall.
  • What are the greatest achievements of Che Guevara ?
  • Discuss the nicknames Americans give to their presidents.
  • The most successful military commanders in world history.
  • Research the first civilizations and their characteristics.
  • What were the main types of ancient warfare?
  • Customs that laid the foundation of modern holidays.
  • Different types of printing techniques.
  • Sources of information about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world.

🎨 Art Classification Essay Topics

People have always expressed themselves in creative ways. Art has many branches, varieties of styles, techniques, and meanings. In your essay, focus on a specific aspect of art. This list of topics can inspire a great classification essay:

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  • The main types of classical music .
  • Research the musical trends that emerged in the last hundred years.
  • Ways in which Mozart influenced the music industry.
  • Music as a way to express national character.
  • The most prominent painting techniques.
  • Come up with a classification of television shows.
  • What online outlets do modern artists use to express themselves?
  • Research the greatest Renaissance artists.
  • Reasons why graffiti is an art form.

Classifications of the arts.

  • Describe various styles of icon painting.
  • What are the main stages of film production ?
  • Describe the most popular movie genres.
  • The importance of Bauhaus for the 20th century design.
  • What are the unique features of South-American art?
  • In what ways did Asian art influence the world?
  • Reasons why it is important to have art classes in every school.
  • Variations of art therapy and its effect on human behavior.
  • Themes of Frida Kahlo’s paintings.
  • Describe several different art objects from around the world.
  • How classical music and theater take inspiration from literature.

⚽ Classification Essay Topics: Sports

Physical activity is an essential part of life. Some people see sports as a hobby, some as a daily disciple, and others view it as a career. This section has various classification essay topics on sports that will inspire a great thesis statement and a successful paper:

  • Research different kinds of water sports.
  • Requirements for the most popular winter sports.
  • Main types of weight training.
  • The most absurd extreme activities.
  • Write about American professional soccer leagues.
  • What are the different kinds of team sports?
  • The influence of African Americans on sports.
  • Famous car racing competitions.
  • Mind sports that emerged in recent decades.
  • The greatest athletes of all time.
  • Research the most recent Guinness World Records in Sports.
  • Sports included in the very first Olympic Games .
  • Describe group dynamics in baseball.
  • Research recently invented kinds of sports.
  • Challenges faced by the Olympic athletes.
  • What kinds of sports can parents consider for their children?
  • The most popular ball games.
  • Write about the reasons why eSports are in the sports category.
  • Different types of gyms .
  • What attitudes are important for athletes ?

We hope that you found this article useful. Now you’re ready to write an excellent classification essay!

Good luck with your assignment!

You might also be interested in:

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  • Classification and Division Essay: Excelsior College OWL
  • Topics: History.com
  • Classification Essay Model: The University of New Mexico
  • Essay Topic Suggestions: Gallaudet University
  • Games and Sports: Yale University
  • What Are the Classifications of Art?: Reference
  • Types of Science: LoveToKnow.com
  • The 50 Most Influential Scientists in the World Today: TheBestSchools.org
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Self-care: A concept analysis

Associated data.

There is extensive literature from various disciplines on self-care , an important aspect of nursing intervention via evaluation and education, but its meaning remains unprecise due to the difficulty integrating the diverse definitions developed over time across disciplines. Therefore, it is vital to clarify the meaning of self-care and formulate the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences to self-care.

Walker and Avant’s concept analysis approach was used to analyze the concept of self-care. A search of the literature was completed using the databases CINAHL, PubMed, and EBSCOhost for years 1975–2020; literature search included peer-review articles, full-text publications, and available in English. A total of 31 articles were reviewed, and saturation was reached.

An extensive review of the literature revealed salient characteristics that reflected the most frequently used terms associated with the concept. Guided by Walker and Avant’s method, three defining attributes emerged as common themes: awareness, self-control, and self-reliance.

Conclusions

A clarified definition was identified: the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being.

What is known?

  • • The concept of self-care remains unprecise due to the difficulty integrating the diverse definitions developed over time across disciplines.
  • • Never has the concept of self-care been more relevant than in the context of an escalation of chronic and communicable diseases, with a massive impact on healthcare systems worldwide.
  • • It is crucial to formulate the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences of self-care in order to provide clinicians, researchers, and patients with the ability to communicate clearly with one another and establish well-defined lines of responsibility.

What is new?

  • • This analysis identified a clarified definition of self-care: The ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being.
  • • The complexity of self-care, within the context of increasing chronic and communicable diseases, is evidenced by its dynamic ability to transcend multiple disciplines.
  • • Current and future definitions of self-care would benefit by being multifaceted and addressing a holistic view of the chronic disease patient within a global health context.

1. Introduction

“Since the beginning of humankind, people have taken action to ensure personal safety and have developed strategies to address illness and other health challenges.” [ 1 ] Rituals performed by primitive cultures, consumption of special foods to promote health, and knowledge sharing from generation to generation are reflective of self-care strategies [ 2 , 3 ]. Despite this realization, self-care was not clearly defined until the late 20th century, when the ability to provide care for oneself gained recognition and started to take precedence as chronic disease increased.

Over time, multiple and often imprecise definitions of self-care resulted in various descriptions across several disciplines. The elusive and complex phenomenon of self-care is reflective of the confusion around the integration of the terms: symptom management, self-efficacy, self-management, and self-monitoring [ 4 , 5 ]. The concept of self-care has also been related to broader notions of autonomy, responsibility, and self-direction [ 5 ]. For this reason, an in-depth analysis of the current knowledge regarding the concept of self-care is required.

McCormack [ 1 ] noted self-care is not a new idea [ 6 ]. Rather, applications of self-care have been present in communities before the healthcare system was formally established; and in some cases, people only rely on self-care due to the lack of healthcare access [ 7 ]. Despite the belief self-care is inherently human, its utilization became less valued during the scientific era [ 8 ]. Notably, with the proliferation of nursing and medical schools, people sought care primarily in the acute setting. As technological advances strengthened the knowledge and authority of health care providers, self-care further diminished [ 8 ]. Not until the latter half of the 20th century did a notable shift in disease patterns from acute to chronic disease facilitate the expansion and necessity of self-care [ 1 , 9 ]. At this time, not only was chronic disease management exploding, but support groups, particularly the inception of Alcoholic Anonymous in 1935, strove to define the gaps in their care. This gap echoed the inevitable need for self-care [ 1 ].

As previously inferred, the origin of the concept of self-care evolved within various social movements, including women’s and wellness movements. These movements created a societal context that fostered the development of the concept [ 10 ]. In addition, self-care intervention also gained attention because of the increased focus of improving the intrinsic capacity of older people to manage their chronic diseases [ 7 ]. Society embraced autonomy, sparked the inception of support groups, and motivated self participation in health care [ 11 ]. The acceptance and awareness of a new facet to healthcare continued to gain momentum as the population and chronic diseases increased [ 4 , 5 , 12 ].

Never has the concept of self-care been more relevant than in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This epidemic outbreak has had a massive impact on healthcare systems worldwide, including on primary care settings [ 13 ]. In many countries, as the pandemic spread, health care services became overloaded, non-urgent services were drastically reduced [ [14] , [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] ], and staff responsible for self-management support of chronic patients was put on hold [ 20 ]. In order to remain connected to patients, primary care was restructured from in-person to virtual care using Telehealth [ 21 , 22 ]. This profound transformation of healthcare delivery has evidenced the importance of patients’ self-care behaviors to decrease the risk of contagion and remain healthy [ 23 ]; as well as healthcare professionals’ education and support of patients amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic [ 24 ].

The objective of this concept analysis is to synthesize the extensive literature obtained from various disciplines to formulate the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences to self-care. Clarity is needed to differentiate between the numerous characteristics that are present and used. It is essential the concept of self-care is defined in order to provide clinicians, researchers, and patients with the ability to communicate clearly with one another and to establish well-defined lines of responsibility [ 25 , 26 ].

2. Selection and aims of the concept analysis

Researchers should select a complex concept that plays a significant role in nursing [ 27 ]. Therefore, the concept of self-care was selected since it is considered a focal point of nursing practice as an intervention nurses provide via evaluation and education to enable patients to restore health, independent living, and well-being [ 5 ].

Considering the various unprecise descriptions of self-care across disciplines, clarity is needed to provide clinicians, researchers, and patients with the ability to communicate clearly with one another and establish well-defined lines of responsibility [ 25 , 26 ]. Thus, the researchers performed an in-depth analysis of the current knowledge regarding the concept of self-care.

3.1. The concept analysis approach

The Walker and Avant’s method of analysis was used to examine the concept of self-care [ 15 ]. These iterative steps include as follows: 1) selecting a concept; 2) determining the aims of the analysis; 3) identifying all possible uses of the concept in nursing; 4) defining concept attributes; 5) constructing a model case; 6) constructing borderline, related and contrary cases; 7) identifying antecedents and consequences of the concept; and 8) defining empirical referents of the model. Careful examination of the implications of this concept provides an understanding of the phenomena. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guideline has been utilized to improve transparency [ 28 ].

3.2. Data sources

A comprehensive and broad search for the term self-care was entered in three online databases (National Library of Medicine PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost). This search included peer-review articles published between January 1975 and October 2020. To further refine the search process and capture pertinent literature, the terms, self-efficacy, self-control, and resilience, were included in the search; the search generated 535 hits. Inclusion criteria included English, full-text publications, and academic journals. Exclusion criteria included non-English language articles, limited text publications, non-academic journals, and articles that did not address the key terms self-efficacy, self-control, or resilience. Utilizing the exclusion criteria narrowed the search, and a final total of 31 articles were reviewed to identify self-care attribute common themes. The reference lists of all identified papers were searched for relevant cited articles, and saturation was reached.

Utilizing the Walker and Avant process, all 31 articles were read in their entirety, and a data extraction table was constructed to include the reference and attributes ( Table 1 ). Representation from multiple disciplines, including nursing, medicine, psychiatry, pharmacy, social work, and business, was demonstrated in the review. Articles were retrieved from various countries, including Canada, China, England, South Korea, and the United States. An Excel spreadsheet was created to document the key terms that were included in each of the final 31 articles, including self-care, self-efficacy, self-control, and resilience. This concept analysis was exempt from Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval; the research did not involve human subjects.

Table 1

Self-care attributes.

Note: Articles included within the analysis of the concept of self-care.

4.1. Identifying all possible uses of the concept in nursing

Reflective of the diverse wealth of literature, the concept of self-care can be implemented in a variety of settings, including nursing and nursing theory, medicine, psychology, business, and lifestyle. Throughout these disciplines, a myriad of interpretations of the concept is delineated from the rich variety of perspectives; consequently, the information is fragmented. Despite this array of information, Dictionary.com [ 54 ] and the American Heritage Science Dictionary [ 55 ] define self-care as the care of oneself without medical or other professional consultation, assistance, or oversight. The WHO compounded this definition: including the individual, family, and community, who in turn, promotes, prevents, maintains health, and copes with illness and disability [ 56 ]. In addition, the WHO identified fundamental principles of self-care, which include autonomy, self-efficacy, empowerment, community involvement, and community empowerment [ 57 ].

Within modern medicine, this definition is most commonly reflected in preventative health and chronic disease management. Gantz further defines this perspective with a discussion of the two parallel paradigms of self-care: a health care model that consists of the health care delivery systems and the lay model based in self-help groups, family practices, supplemental therapies, and the media [ 29 ]. Four levels of self-care performance have emerged: responsible, formally guided, independent, and abandoned [ 4 ]. Thus, the multidimensional concept of self-care reflects a fluid component to the overall care of a person.

According to Denyes and colleagues, the trailblazer of self-care in nursing theory, Dorothea Orem, defined self-care as the learned and deliberately performed action utilized to regulate development and functioning [ 30 ]; her Self-Care Deficit Theory (SCDT) exemplified this [ 12 ]. Within this theory, the self was not only the agent of action, but also the object of action. Orem discussed self-care as a developmental process suggestive of health, life, and well-being [ 12 , 31 ]. This dynamic process reflected the reciprocity between humans and their environment, and it has transcended nursing since Orems initial analysis in 1956. SCDT has significantly influenced nursing knowledge and has provided a conceptual framework to guide practice [ 1 ]. Orem’s framework also suggests that every person has the capacity to become a self-care agent and practice self-care activities, and nurses can help the patients achieve their self-care goals [ 58 ].

Others have expanded Orem’s description of self-care. Chambers argued the self-care continuum flows from individual responsibility to self-management of illness to shared care with a provider [ 59 ]. Within nursing practice, self-care emerges as an intervention nurses provide via evaluation and education to enable patients to restore health, independent living, and well-being. As nurses practice ethically, persons with chronic disease will be more effectively managed with the utilization of self-care [ 5 ].

Similarly, medical providers incorporate self-care when encouraging patient communication regarding relevant observations and symptoms. This assists the provider with therapeutic and diagnostic decision making [ 32 , 57 ]. The direct communication lays the foundation for the patient to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes. The literature supports self-care functions as one of the primary forms of care for chronic disease patients when they are expected to make day-to-day decisions about self-management and administration [ 60 ].

Within the discipline of psychology, practitioners incorporate self-care into their practice when determining what precipitates a behavior or emotional process. Self-care in this context is evaluated as health belief, clarification of values, decision making skills, and the component of self [ 29 ]. In addition, Barnett and colleagues attest self-care is also necessary for health care providers themselves [ 61 ]. Not only will this care decrease burnout, distress, and impaired professional competence, but it also creates a supportive and healthy professional climate [ 61 ]. Self-care activities practiced by health care providers have helped to reduce occupational stress and have shown an increase in resilience, which is a crucial ability a person develops to recover from challenges and stress faced in the workplace [ 57 ]. This self-care manifests via a myriad of measures from physical exercise to psychological therapy and is incorporated by all persons.

In addition to the health-related disciplines, self-care transcends all avenues, including leadership, business, and lifestyle. It thrives as a relevant business from the standpoint of reducing health care costs, as well as product line enhancement [ 29 ]. Furthermore, national executives and leaders have integrated self-care as a part of their employee development workplace regimen [ 62 , 63 ]. Self-care application in the context of daily life includes activities such as exercise, meditation, yoga, complementary and alternative therapies.

4.2. Defining concept attributes

Walker and Avant suggest the “heart of the concept analysis” is the process of defining the attributes [ 27 ]. An extensive review of the literature revealed salient characteristics reflecting the most frequently used terms associated with the concept [ 27 ]. These terms include awareness, self-control, self-reliance, health literacy, self-efficacy, social support, resources, cognitive level, and readiness. Notably, three defining attributes emerged as common themes: awareness, self-control, and self-reliance ( Table 1 ).

4.2.1. Awareness

Cook-Cottone and colleagues suggest that when development and health is normal, individuals do not consider health concerns [ 33 ]. Instead, an awareness is eminent for the person to attend to their needs. This awareness coupled with knowledge and skill adds to the empowerment of the individual to motivate their own behavior and quality of life [ 34 , 35 , 64 ]. Self-monitoring depends on awareness, measurement, and interpretation of the symptoms [ 65 ]. Symptom recognition and evaluation then triggers self-care [ 36 , 37 ].

4.2.2. Self-control

According to Denyes and colleagues, self-care is a product of a person acting as a unitary being and engaging in regulation and control of their self and emotions [ 12 , 30 , 33 ]. Cook-Cottone and colleagues support this contention that regulation and control of the self are essential to achieve cognitive approaches to prevention, regulation, and self-care [ 33 , 38 , 64 ]. Furthermore, the WHO argues that control and prevention of a disease reflect self-care practices [ 34 , 56 ]. This self-control is reinforced with awareness and self-reliance.

4.2.3. Self-reliance

In order to successfully perform self-care, the individual must maintain self-reliance. The concept of self-reliance is deeply embedded in our thinking of chronic disease management and is reflected in medication administration and adherence to health care plans [ 66 ]. Self-reliance directly influences the inclusion of the patient and their family into self-care, and it mirrors the person’s resilience and perseverance [ 39 , 67 ].

4.3. Constructing cases

Constructed cases illustrate the concept by incorporating the attributes, antecedents, and consequences. A model case includes all the defining attributes, a related case represents a connection to the concept, and a contrary case is a clear example of when the concept is absent [ 27 ].

4.3.1. Model case

Last week while hiking Mount Whitney with his wife, Carl, a 45-year-old male, slipped on a slick rock and sustained a 4-cm superficial wound to his right leg. He attended to the wound by cleaning it daily with soap and water and providing adequate dressing changes. The wound healed completely within one week, and Carl was able to resume hiking with his wife.

The above case is an effective representation of a model case because Carl has demonstrated the defining attributes of awareness, self-control, and self-reliance. When he became aware of the injury, he was in control and had enough self-reliance to provide adequate care for himself and appropriately attended to his wound. His self-care was supported by his previously present self-efficacy, cognition, self-agency, adequate resources, and a supportive cultural and social network.

4.3.2. Related case

Ned, a homeless 54-year-old male with schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes mellitus, sustained a wound to his right leg when he slipped in a canyon. He has not been able to take his medications as prescribed for two months due to the fact that his belongings, including his medications, were stolen from him. Though Ned was aware of the injury, he did not treat the wound, and his entire leg became swollen, red, and hot. Two weeks after the initial injury, his friend called 911 because Ned appeared to become febrile with an altered mental state. Ned was transported to the emergency department (ED).

This is a related case because although Ned lived independently and was aware, he did not have the defining attributes of self-control and self-reliance. Thus, he did not provide self-care to his wound. This lack of reliance and control resulted in a poor outcome.

4.3.3. Contrary case

David, a 79-year-old male, sustained a mechanical fall in his home bathroom when he was exiting the shower. He was found by his wife unconscious on the bathroom floor with a laceration to his forehead and to his right leg. He was transported to the ED via ambulance. Upon arrival to the ED, David quickly decompensated and inevitably needed to be intubated. Computed tomography (CT) of his head revealed an extensive subdural hematoma. He was admitted to the ICU and received full care from the medical and nursing staff who attended to all his needs.

In this contrary case, David does not have the defining attributes of awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to self-care for his wounds. This deficit is secondary to his impaired cognitive level, ineffective self-agency, lack of self-efficacy, and critical medical state. Though this may be a sudden change in person and situation, David is presently unable to provide self-care.

4.4. Identifying antecedents and consequences of the concept

The iterative process of concept analysis defines antecedents as incidents that must occur prior to the occurrence of the concept [ 27 ]. An individual’s ability to carry out self-care is directly related to his or her knowledge, motivation, skill, and confidence which in turn has been influenced by the physical, psychological, social, and cognitive context [ 35 , [40] , [41] , [42] ]. Thus, the antecedents derived from the literature were categorized into patient-related and system-related ( Fig. 1 ).

Fig. 1

Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of self-care.

4.4.1. Patient-related antecedents

Patient-related antecedents include self-efficacy, cognition, a triggering event, and self-care agency [ [43] , [44] , [45] ]. A strong body of evidence supports a direct correlation between self-efficacy and self-care [ 41 , 44 , 45 , 68 ]. This relationship reinforces the connection between confidence and self-care maintenance and management [ 44 ]. Similarily, cognition is essential for effective self-care [ 40 ]. Though a patient’s knowledge and expertise are critical to implementing and understanding chronic self-care, Chen and colleagues demonstrate that self-efficacy is more closely interconnected to self-care than health literacy [ 46 , 47 ]. Self-agency is a broad concept that encompasses foundational capabilities, self-care operation, resources, and power components [ 30 , 47 , 48 ]. Thus, it progresses along the physical and cognitive continuum. Self-agency is built upon the developmental levels of a person and their needs and desires to practice self-care [ 65 ].

4.4.2. System-related antecedents

System-related antecedents include cultural factors, social support, and access to adequate resources [ 4 , 32 , 49 ]. According to Benbow and Deacon, people should be provided with instructions, supplies, and all the necessary resources that enable them to perform self-care [ 69 ]. This establishes a supportive cultural and social network and facilitates access to self-care via a system-related foundation [ 32 ]. Kim and colleagues contend social support is comprised of three categories: social connectedness, perceived support, and actual social support [ 49 ].

4.4.3. Consequences

Walker and Avant argue that consequences result secondary to the occurrence of a concept [ 27 ]. These consequences reflect both psychological and physical goals [ 50 ]. The literature depicts several consequences resulting from self-care, including the achievement of desired outcomes, decreased risk for complications, symptom control, decreased health services utilization, and increased patient satisfaction [ 4 , 6 , 51 , 70 ]; thus, enhanced coping, improved sense of control, deepening sense of meaning, well-being, and quality of life are optimal consequences of self-care.

Potential negative outcomes may arise when a person does not desire to ask for help or delays help due to their beliefs that they can provide adequate self-care. This may be secondary to low health literacy, decreased cognition, and/or a mental health history. Self-care can also potentially result in self-harm if the person does not have the appropriate means to provide care or if they have received inappropriate information from sources such as the internet [ 1 ]. Self-care interventions play an important role in situations where people have no access to health promoting interventions or have some distrust in the health care system. This is why it is crucial to promote high quality self-care, so people can receive appropriate information regarding the self-care intervention, as well as supporting people in acquiring the skills and resources needed to practice self-care [ 7 ]. Furthermore, self-care is thought of as an opportunity by most patients and health care providers, but to others it may be considered to be a threat.

4.5. Defining empirical referents of the model

The measurement of self-care involves the utilization of diverse empirical referents. Though several instruments exist, a lack of a single comprehensive measure creates a gap in knowledge. In particular, one single measure does not address the person’s spiritual health, psychiatric well-being, race, ethnicity, in addition to the already established criteria. Instead, most assessments focus on cognition, self-efficacy, and self-agency [ 41 , 43 , 52 ]. It would behoove an evaluator to assess the patient’s perspective of the positive or negative involvement of the medical provider. As such, an integrative model is needed.

Empirical referents within the nursing realm most frequently utilize instruments that measure self-care agency and self-care practice [ 48 , 71 , 72 ]. Specific pediatric instruments are also available [ 42 , 73 , 74 ]. Another example includes the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII) scale, which measures self-care behaviors focusing on health promotion and preventative measures [ 75 ]. Becker and colleagues developed the Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices (SRAHP) scale to measure self-care and self-efficacy through the evaluation of a person’s performance in health-promoting behaviors [ 76 ]. Additionally, the Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) evaluates the person’s ability to care for oneself [ 77 ].

Even more standardized measures exist within the discipline of psychology, including the Self-care Behavior Inventory, Perception of Competence Scale, Flourishing Measure, Contributor to Distress Measure, and Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey [ [78] , [79] , [80] , [81] , [82] ]. Similar to the beforementioned instruments, these instruments assess self-determination, confidence, capability, competence, and engagement. Despite a plethora of instruments to measure self-care, a comprehensive and integrative instrument is not available.

5. Operational definition

The results of the literature search outlined the concept and its defining attributes. Consequently, self-care is further defined as the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being. Three attributes were identified: awareness, self-control, and self-reliance. Self-efficacy, self-agency, a triggering event, access to adequate resources, and both cultural and social support preceded as the antecedents.

6. Discussion

As a major driver in the development of self-care knowledge, the growing costs of health care can be interpreted as an indication for need [ 83 ]. Nelson and colleagues predict self-care will evolve into the principal source of care. As chronic disease proliferates, the need for people to take more responsibility for being the principal provider of their own care will surge [ 53 ]. The pendulum, in turn, sways from the expensive, specialized care towards high-value self-care [ 53 ]. This will also transcend into the medical provider’s understanding of patient education as it is incorporated into their academic curriculum. Self-care interventions allow the individual the opportunity of making informed decisions about their health by having more choices of care which are more accessible and affordable [ 7 ]. Eventually, the driving force of shared decision-making, coproduction, and competent self-management will echo self-care methodology reinforced within patient education and instructions [ [84] , [85] , [86] ].

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital role self-care interventions play in lessening the effects of disease and saving lives. Personal self-care behaviors such as wearing masks and social distancing, and healthcare systems transformations, for instance, the prioritization of self-care interventions with different patients have been an asset during lockdown periods [ 87 ]. The expansion of self-care is not exclusive to the current pandemic, but has been the focal point of healthcare systems worldwide, as evidenced by the development and expansion of self-care programs and policies regarding a variety of chronic and infectious diseases [ 88 , 89 ] and mental health [ 90 ]. Cultural health beliefs and values heavily influence lifestyle choices and health-promoting practices [ 91 ]; fatalism, collectivism, familism, gender roles and cultural norms have been known to play a critical role in dietary and medication adherence, and the use of alternative medicine [ 91 , 92 ]. Significant differences have been found in patients’ self-care regarding receiving an annual flue-shot, adhering to a low-sodium diet, or weighting themselves regularly by country and continent [ 88 ]. Thus, the relevance of a culture- and country-specific approach to understand self-care, and design effective, targeted interventions.

The synthesis of this information highlights the intricacy involved with self-care within the context of chronic disease, and it exemplifies its dynamic ability to transcend multiple disciplines. The findings suggest a multifaceted definition of self-care addressing a holistic view of the chronic disease patient within the present literature.

7. Conclusion

The analysis of self-care identified a clarified definition: the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being. Chronic disease patients ultimately spend more time managing their conditions and providing self-care than they spend with their providers. Legitimizing this realization as an equal aspect of medical care within the context of chronic disease reinforces the importance of disseminating this information to both professional and lay audiences [ 1 ]. Self-care is an active decision-making process that enables people to effectively engage in their care.

This work was supported in part by the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation.

Ethical considerations

This concept analysis was exempt from Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval; research did not involve human subjects.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Nicole Martínez: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Cynthia D. Connelly: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Writing – review & editing, Supervision. Alexa Pérez: Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Validation, Writing – review & editing. Patricia Calero: Methodology, Investigation, Validation, Writing – review & editing.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to Dr. Eileen Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP, FAAN for her research guidance and support in this study.

Peer review under responsibility of Chinese Nursing Association.

Appendix A Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2021.08.007 .

Appendix A. Supplementary data

The following is the Supplementary data to this article:

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Self care interventions to advance health and wellbeing: a conceptual framework to inform normative guidance

Self care interventions for srhr, click here to read the complete collection.

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  • Manjulaa Narasimhan , scientist 1 ,
  • Pascale Allotey , director 2 ,
  • Anita Hardon , scientific lead 3
  • 1 World Health Organization, including Special Programme for Human Reproduction, Geneva, Switzerland
  • 2 UN University International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Studies, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Correspondence to: M Narasimhan narasimhanm{at}who.int

Manjulaa Narasimhan and colleagues argue that there is a pressing need for a clearer conceptualisation of self care to support health policy

Self care existed well before formal health systems and is an important contributor to health outcomes. For many people, self care within well established cultural and social norms may be the only healthcare they access. Where healthcare systems do exist, self care remains a crucial component for maintaining health. For example, brushing teeth is a daily self care practice in which individuals are in control of their dental health, but it can link to healthcare should check-ups or advanced interventions be needed. Moreover, interventions that were previously available only through facility based healthcare providers are now being accessed in the self care environment. Pregnancy tests, for instance, have transitioned to self care.

Self care interventions in the health sector have increased since the primary healthcare movement began, 1 fuelled by an increased focus on empowering women, 2 improving the intrinsic capacity of older people, 3 and the role of self care in the management of chronic diseases, including mental health. 4 The World Health Organization’s working definition of self care includes “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health-care provider.” 5 6 While this is a broad definition that includes many activities, it is important for health policy to recognise the importance of self care, especially where it intersects with health systems and health professionals ( fig 1 ). The recent global conference on primary health care, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Alma Ata declaration, again underlined the importance of empowering and supporting people in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to maintain their health or the health of those for whom they care. 7

Fig 1

Self care in the context of interventions linked to health systems

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A growing globalised market of drugs, diagnostics, and devices, coupled with rapid advances in digital technologies, is making new configurations of self care possible. Many of these interventions will be regulated, but many more will not. Given the increasing number of new interventions, the importance of linkage to care, and the supportive part the health system can play, there is a pressing need for a clearer conceptualisation of self care to support health policy.

System and people centred framing of self care

Self care ranges from a set of activities to a set of capacities. It is possible to think about self care from two complementary perspectives, one focused on improving the capacity of individuals to self care and another focused on how self care relates to the health system: people centred and system centred.

The capacity and ability of an individual to make informed health decisions and make use of available health resources is an important component of effective prevention and management of a health condition. The ability to access and use societal and familial resources contributes to personal agency and autonomy and determines health outcomes. Seen thus, self care is about caring and the relational context, finding ways to enable good self care and avoid social and cultural iatrogenesis of self medicalisation. 8 From this perspective, the capacity to meet physical, physiological, psychological, and self fulfilment needs is important. 9

Given the potential to enhance health and wellbeing, self care is an important component of people centred care. 6 A people centred framing emphasises psychological, empowerment, and self fulfilment needs, 10 placing less emphasis on technical activities and instead looking at self care in terms of capacities, building on a person’s “health assets,” both as a condition for and a product of the practice of self care. 11

A complementary perspective on self care is a “system centred” framing, which focuses on activities that can add value in dealing with specific diseases or health issues that healthcare managers and policy makers consider important. The dominant paradigm from this perspective is summarised by a Kaiser Permanente pyramid 12 that features self care as distinct from, but complementary to, professional healthcare ( fig 2 ). 12 From this perspective, the effect of self care on health outcomes and its division from professional care are key considerations. Promoting task shifting or sharing between professionals and the general public or optimising the linkage to professional care are priorities to harness self care to enhance specific health system outcomes. 13 14 In this framing, the focus is on managing and mitigating health concerns or risk factors.

Fig 2

Health systems perspective on the relation between self and professional care

Conceptual framework for self care

Individuals choose a self care health intervention for many positive reasons, including convenience, cost, empowerment, and a better fit with values or lifestyle. A proved efficacy and endorsement by the health system may be another reason to choose self care interventions.

Given that an ideal, well functioning health system is seldom a reality, particularly in resource constrained settings, individuals may also opt for self care interventions to avoid the health system owing to poor quality services or because information, interventions, or products are inappropriate, unaffordable, or inaccessible. Stigma from healthcare providers or from within families and communities may be another reason people turn to self care. Self care interventions fulfil a particularly important role in these situations, as the alternative might be no access at all to health promoting interventions. 15

Challenges exist in mitigating the inherent risks in promoting self care, particularly in terms of ensuring safety and protecting people against unnecessary expenditure and harmful interventions. Just as high quality healthcare is important, high quality self care is too. We have developed a conceptual framework to support WHO normative guidance ( fig 3 ). The aim of the framework is to support healthcare policy makers and implementers who are thinking through the complexity of promoting high quality self care for individuals. The framework aims to ensure that all individuals are considered, including those who may not be aware of their right to health and those who may fall through the cracks of the existing healthcare system.

Fig 3

Framework for self care interventions

Naturally, given the importance of a people centred approach, self carers and care givers are at the centre of the framework that is focused on health and wellbeing. The key principles for promoting self resilience, autonomy, and agency in any health policy guidance for self care are recognising human rights, sex equality, and other ethical considerations. Two further key principles include taking a holistic approach to health and recognising that needs change across a person’s life course.

The conceptual framework recognises that in addition to the traditional self care practices that societies have passed on through generations, people are accessing new information, products, and interventions through stores, pharmacies, and the internet. Digital health and mobile technologies are increasing rapidly, not only as places of access but in many other aspects of self care. 16

The next layer of the framework recognises that a supportive and safe enabling environment for the introduction of self care interventions is essential and that self care interventions should be implemented in the context of a supportive legal and policy environment. This means access to the following: justice; a strong, accountable, people centred healthcare system; integrated and accessible services of good quality; protection from violence, coercion, and discrimination; social inclusion and acceptance; and knowledge and information, appropriately tailored to different needs.

Individuals can be in control of some self care interventions, such as using condoms; while others, such as a positive HIV self test, will require confirmation within a healthcare setting; and others still, such as self sampling of HPV, will require the health setting to do the test. This dynamic interaction between individuals and the health system can also change over time in line with the needs and choices of individuals. The health system supporting people for self management of health conditions remains an integral part of self care.

Accountability for health outcomes is reflected at multiple levels in the conceptual framework, and accountability of the health sector remains a key factor in the equitable support to quality self care interventions. Meaningful community engagement where self care is championed and advocated by patient groups is also an essential factor in the success of linkage to care.

Self care for sexual and reproductive health and rights

While self care is important in all aspects of health, it is particularly important and challenging to manage for populations negatively affected by sex, political, cultural, and power dynamics. This is true for sexual reproductive health and rights, where many people are not able to have autonomy over their body or to make decisions around sexuality and reproduction. Safe linkage between self care and quality healthcare for vulnerable individuals is critically important to avoid harm. When self care is not a positive choice but born out of fear or because there is no alternative, it can increase vulnerabilities.

In a number of areas in sexual and reproductive health and rights, effective self care with safe links to healthcare has the potential to substantially improve health. These include self care interventions for fertility regulation (for example, pregnancy tests and 17 contraception 18 ); sexual health promotion (for example, seeking advice and information through digital health for sexually transmitted infections, 19 virility enhancement, 20 and alleviation of menopause symptoms 21 ); disease prevention and control activities (for example, use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis 22 ); and treatment (for example, self management of abortion 23 and self administered HIV antiretroviral drugs in community based treatment clubs 24 ).

Alongside these interventions, supportive approaches ensure equity and quality of self care—for example, in providing care to dependents, including differently abled, newborn, or young children; seeking medical assistance, including going to a health centre, counselling, and treatment; or for confirmatory testing (such as for a positive HPV test result). 25

Reimagining healthcare delivery

WHO’s current strategic priorities are focused on the “triple billion” goals, which are for one billion more people to benefit from universal health coverage, one billion more people to be better protected from health emergencies, and one billion more people to enjoy better health and wellbeing. Achieving these goals will not be straightforward, but reorienting formal health systems to positively engage with self care could make a substantial contribution. WHO has begun developing consolidated people centred, evidence based normative guidance around self care to support these aims. This guideline will aim to advance universal health coverage without exposing individuals, families, and communities to financial hardship; reduce health inequities by tackling human rights, gender, ethical, legal, social, economic, and environmental determinants of health; and increase access to quality health information, interventions, products, and care in areas where the burden of disease and the scope for improved wellbeing is the greatest.

The development of this guidance entails broad, consultative processes across multiple sectors to consider the quality of evidence on health outcomes of self care interventions, a balance of benefits and harms, the acceptability of self care interventions to health workers and the populations that they serve, resources that enable self care, feasibility of making better links between self care and professional care, financial costs to vulnerable populations, and equity. The guidance will acknowledge that self care activities are undertaken by lay people on their own behalf, either alone or in collaboration with professionals, 26 and that a solid evidence base, still largely to be constructed, requires further research.

Reimagining, reinvesting, and recommitting to healthcare that recognises the strengths of individuals, their families, communities, and social networks as active agents in their health and not merely passive recipients of health services can contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of even the most vulnerable populations. Although risk and benefit calculations may vary across settings and population groups, with appropriate guidance and an enabling environment, self care interventions offer an exciting way forward to reach a range of improved health outcomes. 27

This is particularly relevant for sexual reproductive health and rights, where self care could improve awareness and decision making around sexuality and reproduction. Providing individuals with the capacity to access resources for effective, evidence based self care is a public good. It is an undervalued part of attempts to provide people with universal access to healthcare they need and responds to the autonomy and self reliance people value in their life. Developing normative guidance for policy makers, donors, and researchers will be essential to redraw the boundaries of a stronger healthcare system that includes self care.

Key messages

Self care interventions increase choice, accessibility, and affordability, as well as opportunities for individuals to make informed decisions regarding their health and healthcare

Self care interventions may also exacerbate inequalities and therefore need to be monitored and, where appropriate, linked with health systems

Self care can be thought of using two complementary frames: people centred and system centred.

Normative guidance will be essential to redraw the boundaries of a stronger healthcare system that includes self care

Acknowledgments

We thank Susan Norris, Christopher Pell, and Wim Van Lerberghe for their critical feedback. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction provided financial support. The contents are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Health Organization.

Contributors and sources:MN is leading the WHO normative guideline development at WHO on self care interventions for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) . PA co-chaired the meeting on ethical, legal, human rights, and social accountability of self care for SRHR. AH co-chaired some of the scoping meetings, including the WHO expert meeting on self care interventions (15-16 March, 2018, Geneva, Switzerland), where some of the concepts in this article were developed. AH also co-chaired the guideline development group (GDG) meeting (14-16 January, 2019, Montreux, Switzerland). Both PA and AH are members of the guideline development group. MN wrote the first draft of the document, and all authors contributed extensively to its development and finalisation.

Competing interests: We have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and have no relevant interests to declare.

Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

This article is part of a series proposed by the UNDP/UNFPA/Unicef/WHO/World Bank Special Programme for Human Reproduction (HRP) and commissioned by The BMJ. The BMJ retained full editorial control over external peer review, editing, and publication of these articles. Open access fees are funded by HRP.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution IGO License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/igo/), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction for non-commercial purposes in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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classification essay about self care

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The Basics Of Self-Care Essay Sample

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Health , Medicine , Nursing , Health Care , Psychology , Diagnosis , Management , Treatment

Words: 3300

Published: 2020/02/17

It is imperative to acknowledge the healthcare system is experiencing new patterns of diseases, which have led to an increase in the number of people with long-term conditions. The predicament has made self-care a topic of considerable interest in the contemporary world. It plays an integral role in improving health outcomes among patients with minor and chronic diseases. This paper seeks to give a detailed description of self-care, its pros, cons, and solutions to problems associated with self-care.

Self-care essay sample

Description

Self-care existed before the development of formal health systems. It involves the ability of individuals and families to enhance health and manage ailments. It entails a range of activities that put people in control of their wellbeing. It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care does not require persons to manage their health without help from healthcare professionals. Research by Riegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee, & Webber (2017) has shown that self-care allows patients to make health decisions that enable them to stay fit. Such many involve seeking professional care if necessary, as well as taking actions to improve and cope with certain health conditions. People are also expected to determine whether self-care is effective and interfaces appropriately with professional care. If not, patients are expected to seek medical advice.

In the same way, self-care may involve other activities like disease prevention, health promotion, symptoms evaluation, and self-treatment. Healthy lifestyle behaviors like regular physical activity, consumption of healthy diets, and practicing good hygiene facilitate health promotion and minimize the risk of developing other infections. Self-treatment, on the other hand, involves the responsible and effective use of medications to manage minor ailments. Symptoms evaluation involves self-diagnosing of a syndrome depending on access to self-care learning tools and reliable information.

Notably, self-care practices may entail avoiding health hazards such as smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol have to prevent ailments in the future CRiegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee & Webber, 2017). That said, self-care is not only limited to physical wellbeing but also requires attention to a person's emotional, social, and psychological health. In the past, healthcare professionals encouraged patients to engage in stress management and healthy lifestyle choices. Such would involve practicing good hygiene, being physically active, and avoiding too much alcohol. Over time, healthcare professionals encouraged patients to participate in self-care activities like social engagement, meditation, and therapy. In other words, self-care is a broad concept, which involves taking care of an individual's psychological, social, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

Physical self-care involves an individual's ability to take care of their body. It encompasses activities like drinking enough water, adequate sleep, regular exercise, and adherence to caloric intake guidelines. On the other hand, taking care of the mind is crucial for maintaining an optimal level of overall health. Psychological self-care practices may be different between individuals. For instance, persons with mental disorders should participate in psychotherapy and adhere to treatment as prescribed by a psychiatrist. As such, individuals need to engage in activities that will make them mentally healthy.

In like manner, emotional self-care enables people to maintain an optimal level of overall health. It is imperative to acknowledge that emotions may affect a person’s physical wellbeing and relationships negatively. For instance, individuals experiencing grief due to the loss of loved ones may develop a great deal of stress. The latter may result in depression, which may have adverse impacts on their health. It would be essential for such individuals to talk about their feelings with counselors or friends and take adequate time to grieve the loss. By so doing, people can take care of their emotional health.

In the same way, social self-care also enables people to maintain good relationships with friends, family, and the community. Research has shown that spiritual practice is also an appropriate self-care strategy (Bloomquist, Wood, Friedmeyer-Trainor & Kim, 2015). In the rear, effective self-care requires a combination of various community and individual aspects. The features may include personal responsibility, self-reliance, autonomy, self-efficacy, as well as community empowerment and involvement. Such elements enable people to implement effective self-care strategies that improve the health of the public.

Reducing Healthcare Expenditure

Notably, self-care has proven to have various benefits to individuals, their families, and the society. Initially, it results in significant cost savings. It is imperative to acknowledge that healthcare expenditures are on the rise. As such, policymakers should come up with ways of reducing costs. Research has shown that self-care minimizes medical spending around the world (Deek, Hamilton, Brown, Inglis, Digiacomo, Newton, Family Project Investigators, 2016). It can reduce public spending on doctor visits and treatment for diseases that can be treated through self-care options. Examples of search ailments may include digestive problems, pain, and allergies.

A study by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association has shown that for every one dollar spent on the over-the-counter medicines, America's healthcare system saves approximately seven dollars. The therapy enables healthcare systems to allocate resources and money where it is most needed. Most patients spend on out-of-pocket expenses as they undergo treatment. Self-care, on the other hand, plays an integral role in minimizing such costs. Therefore, it is beyond reasonable doubts that investment in self-care can result in long-term savings for individuals, healthcare industries, and governments.

Concurrently, visiting a doctor for a minor ailment like allergic reactions can be time-consuming. Self-care, on the other hand, enables people to diagnose and treat themselves for such diseases. They can acquire help from pharmacists as they buy over the counter medicines (Bell, Dziekan, Pollack & Mahachai, 2016). Hence, one can tell that self-care also gives people availability to adequate healthcare. What is more is that it saves peoples' time by enabling them to manage various ailments on their own. In other words, self-care allows people to address their health needs without the effort and difficulties of seeing a physician. Individuals can manage both chronic and self-limiting conditions like back pain, depression, diabetes, and hypertension. In the rear, self-care reduces the workload of physicians and other healthcare professionals. Such enables them to attend to patients with critical conditions.

Quality of Life

Self-care leads to self-management of minor conditions like fever, pain, and other aches, thus improving patients' quality of life. For example, self-care minimizes the adverse effects of stress and improves sleep. It is beyond reasonable doubts that such activities improve people's wellbeing. The individuals feel confident in their abilities to enhance their quality of life by managing minor illnesses.

Self-care enables individuals to identify when they need to seek medication. Such prevents late detection of ailments, thus increasing chances for optimal health outcomes. In like manner, self-care allows people with chronic conditions to minimize the progression of their disease symptoms (Riegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee & Webber, 2017). The individuals acquire skills to recognize the deterioration of their ailments. As a result, they seek early medical intervention in the effort to reduce potential complications.

Self-care also enables people to maintain good physical wellbeing by practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors like physical activity. It also allows them to manage their emotional lives and consequently manage stress. By so doing, their quality of life is enhanced. Other benefits of self-care may include increased disease prevention, improved ability for patients to cope with their chronic conditions, and few hospital admissions.

It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care gives people significant control of their health. It allows them to engage in healthy behaviors that will improve their overall health. Compelling evidence has shown that self-care inspires people to transform their daily health routine. As such, they stop depending too much on the healthcare system. As a result, they become more knowledgeable and engaged in their wellbeing.

Moreover, transformation to healthy behaviors leads to self-efficacy, a better understanding of specific maladies, and positive feelings such as confidence or high self-esteem (Schwarzer, Antoniuk & Gholami, 2015). It is common for people to develop anxiety when developing symptoms of a particular disease. In such a case, it can be challenging to decide on whether to seek medical attention. On the other hand, self-care increases knowledge, confidence, and self-esteem that enable people to self-diagnose and consequently manage health symptoms. Additionally, self-care allows people to participate in all aspects of their health. They gain control of their treatment in case of illnesses. The practice encourages self-management, which increases adherence to prescribed medications, thus increasing chances for recovery. Healthcare professionals work together with patients to help them develop self-care plans that allow them to take care of their wellbeing.

Adverse Disease Outcomes

Self-care has some drawbacks, which threaten patients' health and wellbeing. It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care depends on the patients' abilities to make correct decisions to respond to the signs and symptoms they are experiencing. In line with this statement, self-care seems to be inappropriate in cases where patients do not have adequate knowledge to determine their health problems. The therapy requires patients to comprehend the cause of their conditions, how to fix them, and how whether to seek medical attention or not.

Lack of required knowledge can result in unwanted self-care behaviors that can worsen a disease, thus leading to adverse health outcomes (Tewahido & Berhane, 2017). Self-care does not seek to eliminate the need for healthcare professionals. However, the therapy can dissuade people from seeking medical attention, thus increasing the chances of adverse disease outcomes. Therefore, it is essential for individuals implementing self-care to seek advice from professionals, especially when they cannot understand their health conditions.

Diagnostic Errors

Self-care increases chances for diagnostic errors among patients. The individuals may miss an essential detail during self-diagnosis. Such can result in misdiagnosis, which translates to devastating knock effects. For example, patients with mood swings may think that they have bipolar disorders or other depressive illnesses, whereas they may be having a different disease. Patients may concentrate on one symptom, whereas the sign may have appeared as a result of other underlying reasons. Similarly, the symptoms may have occurred due to an undetected health condition. Misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses can make patients employ management interventions for incorrect diseases. Such may lead to adverse negative outcomes.

Some individuals use the internet for self-diagnosis. From a liberal point of view, health blogs can be posted by people without any medical training. As such, cyberchondriacs are likely to acquire unreliable information from the internet (Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). On the other hand, valid medical websites can provide reliable info, but patients can end up misinterpreting it (Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). The individuals can end up over-diagnosing themselves and consequently develop hysteria because they begin to worry about possible outcomes. Stress and panic tend to aggravate patients' problems. Therefore, self-diagnosis can be harmful if inappropriate decisions are made during the process.

Self-care can also result in delayed diagnosis, which can accelerate symptoms of specific conditions. In line with this statement, self-diagnosis can undermine a physician’s roles. It can make believe that they are suffering from a particular disease even when the diagnosis is wrong. On the other hand, doctors have medical training and thus have the experience as well as the ability to carry out a proper diagnosis. When they diagnose patients of a different disease, the patients can doubt the results because their self-diagnosis said otherwise. Lack of trust can ruin the doctor-patient relationship, thus resulting in poor health outcomes (Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). Therefore, self-care increases the risk of diagnostic errors.

Wrong Treatment

It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care entails the management of self-diagnosed symptoms or diseases. Self-treatment increases the chances of taking wrong medications, using ineffective treatment methods, incorrect dosage, severe drug reactions, and delays in seeking medical advice (Mehmood, Rehman, Zaman, Iqbal & Hassan, 2016). Such practices may jeopardize patients’ health. For example, a patient may decide to use medications that were prescribed to another person because they have the same set of symptoms. They fail to understand that different health conditions may have some similar signs.

In like manner, implementation of self-care can contribute to incorrect choice of treatment interventions. For example, obese patients may understand that losing weight is an essential way of managing the condition. Instead of eating healthy foods and undertaking progressive exercises, they may decide to starve themselves in the effort to lose weight. Starving is a wrong treatment intervention and is not likely to give the patients the results they desire. In other words, it does not result in weight loss. Instead, it brings about health complications like binging and eating disorders such as Bulimia. Similarly, patients may decide to engage in vigorous exercises as a treatment interventions, not realizing that the activities can cause heart attacks in people with certain conditions. Therefore, it is beyond reasonable doubts that self-care increases the risk of wrong treatment.

Possible Issue Resolutions

Notably, some medical conditions are critical and challenging for patients to address on their own. For example, psychiatric disorders require the integration of active participation in psychiatric rehabilitation, medication, and psychotherapy for patients to achieve optimum health outcomes. In the same way, people with eating disorders may require psychotherapy and other medical interventions in the effort to combat the illnesses. In such cases, self-care alone would not be sufficient. Individuals with such conditions can benefit more from professional treatment, and thus, self-care should occur as a secondary therapy. In line with this statement, patients should be able to differentiate, which medical conditions require professional medical attention in the effort to make self-care more effective (Riegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee & Webber, 2017). It is common to find that people are not sure about the cause of their symptoms. In such a case, consulting experts such as nurses, physicians, psychiatrists, or licensed therapist would help in understanding health conditions and effective treatments. In the same way, patients need to seek professional help if their self-care efforts are not working out. Such would help in reducing potential complications.

As previously discussed, self-care involves self-diagnosis to identify common health conditions like colds, headaches, and coughs, among others. Patients should determine whether the symptoms are critical or not. That said, the individuals should have elementary knowledge regarding such signs. Community-health nurses, governments, and healthcare organizations need to impart the public with information that will enable them to gain more confidence in their daily healthcare routines. The healthcare system should also provide people with high-quality information for safe self-care activities (Tewahido, & Berhane, 2017). They should disseminate it to vulnerable groups like the poor and disabled. For example, community nurses and local pharmacists should provide patients with advice and information to support self-care.

Healthcare providers are at the forefront of healthcare and thus play an integral role in supporting self-care behaviors among patients. As such, they should build their client’s confidence and make them believe that they are capable of managing their health while at home. They should help patients develop an effective self-care plan. They should provide them with resources that encourage them to assume control of their health and wellbeing. Policymakers should come up with local and national incentive schemes that will enable healthcare professionals to support self-care among patients.

It is imperative to acknowledge that there are several barriers to effective self-care. They may include health illiteracy, leadership gaps, and social determinants, among others. As such, effective self-care interventions would require people to overcome such obstructions. It would require participation and collaboration of various stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, governments, NGOs, and the community. They should create initiatives to enhance health literacy and understanding of self-care. The efforts would give people the knowledge to make conversant decisions and consequently take appropriate action for their health and wellbeing. Research has shown that health literacy contributes to healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors (Poureslami, Nimmon, Rootman & Fitzgerald, 2016). In like manner, governments should implement high health education standards to support self-care literacy. Such initiatives will reduce the risks associated with self-care. In the rear, collaboration between governments, healthcare industries, as well as public and private partnerships, will improve access to self-care tools and resources.

To sum up, self-care is vital for maintaining an optimal level of overall health. It puts people in control of their wellbeing by allowing them to manage illnesses on their own. Self-care has proven to have several benefits to individuals, families, and the society. Initially, it minimizes healthcare expenditures. It reduces the money spent on doctor visits and treatment of minor ailments like coughs. In like manner, self-care improves health outcomes for patients with terminal and self-limiting illnesses. On the other hand, it can result in adverse health outcomes if patients have inadequate knowledge and ability to respond to diseases. It also increases risks for wrong treatment and diagnostic errors. Misdiagnosis can result in an incorrect choice of medication, which can jeopardize patients’ health. It is essential for healthcare professionals, government, communities, and healthcare organizations to work together in the effort to minimize barriers to effective self-care.

Bell, J., Dziekan, G., Pollack, C., & Mahachai, V. (2016). Self-care in the twenty-first century: a vital role for the pharmacist. Advances in therapy, 33(10), 1691-1703.

Bloomquist, K. R., Wood, L., Friedmeyer-Trainor, K., & Kim, H. W. (2015). Self-care and professional quality of life: Predictive factors among MSW practitioners. Advances in Social Work, 16(2), 292-311.

Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Statistics on OTC Use. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from https://www.chpa.org/MarketStats.aspx

Deek, H., Hamilton, S., Brown, N., Inglis, S. C., Digiacomo, M., Newton, P. J., Family Project Investigators. (2016). Family-centered approaches to healthcare interventions in chronic diseases in adults: a quantitative systematic review. Journal of advanced nursing, 72(5), 968-979.

Mehmood, A., Rehman, A. U., Zaman, M., Iqbal, J., & Hassan, S. S. U. (2016). Self-medication; An Emerging Trend. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 1-8.

Poureslami, I., Nimmon, L., Rootman, I., & Fitzgerald, M. J. (2016). Health literacy and chronic disease management: drawing from expert knowledge to set an agenda. Health Promotion International, 32(4), 743-754.

Riegel, B., Moser, D. K., Buck, H. G., Dickson, V. V., Dunbar, S. B., Lee, C. S., ... & Webber, D. E. (2017). Self‐care for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease and stroke: A scientific statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association. Journal of the American Heart Association, 6(9), e006997.

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  1. Classification Essay Guide: 30 Topics & Examples

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    Be sure to add self-care to your schedule, she adds. "In stressful times, self-care can seem frivolous or selfish," she says. "But committing to self-care will preserve your ability to rise to the challenge of this time." Pivot, if necessary. For researchers, university shutdowns don't have to mean that work grinds to a halt.

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    Manjulaa Narasimhan and colleagues argue that there is a pressing need for a clearer conceptualisation of self care to support health policy Self care existed well before formal health systems and is an important contributor to health outcomes. For many people, self care within well established cultural and social norms may be the only healthcare they access. Where healthcare systems do exist ...

  21. composing a full draft of your fiveparagraph classification essay

    composing a full draft of your five-paragraph classification essay about self care including balance diet, portion control , relaxting ,and being positive while at work . Have a introduction paragraph, three full body paragraphs aboutProper nutrition,Make sleeping a priority,focus on breathing workout , and a conclusion paragraph.

  22. The Basics Of Self Care Essay Example

    Quality of Life. Self-care leads to self-management of minor conditions like fever, pain, and other aches, thus improving patients' quality of life. For example, self-care minimizes the adverse effects of stress and improves sleep. It is beyond reasonable doubts that such activities improve people's wellbeing.