CHAPTER 1

Question 1

Health and wellbeing

Answer 1

Health and wellbeing relates to the state of a person’s physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual
existence and is characterised by an equilibrium in which the individual feels happy, healthy, capable
and engaged.

Question 2

There are five dimensions of health and wellbeing

Answer 2

physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual.

Question 3

• A range of factors influence how an individual views health and wellbeing, including

Answer 3

age, gender,

socioeconomic status, culture and religion.

Question 4

Physical health and wellbeing

Answer 4

Physical health and wellbeing is defined as the functioning of the body and its systems; it includes the
physical capacity to perform daily activities or tasks. Characteristics that relate to physical health and
wellbeing include fitness levels, body weight, energy levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and the
absence or presence of disease

Question 5

Social health and wellbeing

Answer 5

Social health and wellbeing is defined as the ability to form meaningful and satisfying relationships
with others and the ability to manage or adapt appropriately to different social situations.
Characteristics that relate to social health and wellbeing include a supportive network of friends,
effective communication and productive relationships with other people.

Question 6

• Emotional health and wellbeing

Answer 6

Emotional health and wellbeing is defined as being able to recognise, understand and effectively
manage and express emotions as well as the ability to display resilience. Characteristics include the
ability to recognise and express a range of emotions, adequately respond to and manage emotions, and
the ability to recover from misfortune.

Question 7

Mental health and wellbeing

Answer 7

• Mental health and wellbeing refers to the state of a person’s mind or brain, and relates to the ability to
think and process information. Optimal mental health and wellbeing enables an individual to positively
form opinions, make decisions and use logic. Characteristics of good mental health and wellbeing
include positive thought patterns, low stress levels, high self-esteem and self-confidence

Question 8

Spiritual health and wellbeing

Answer 8

Spiritual health and wellbeing can be defined as ideas, beliefs, values and ethics that arise in the mind
and conscience of human beings. It includes the concepts of hope, peace, a guiding sense of meaning
or value and reflection on a person’s place in the world. Spiritual health and wellbeing can also relate
to organised religion, a sense of purpose in life, connection or belonging.

Question 9

The issues of most concern to young people relate to the

Answer 9

The issues of most concern to young people relate to the mental dimension of health and wellbeing,
such as coping with stress, school and study problems, body image and depression

Question 10

A perspective

Answer 10

• A perspective is somebody’s point of view and attitude towards health and wellbeing, whereas a
priority is understood to mean that greater importance is placed on some aspects of health and
wellbeing compared to others

Question 11

Aboriginal health and wellbeing means not just the physical health and wellbeing of an individual

Answer 11

Aboriginal health and wellbeing means not just the physical health and wellbeing of an individual, but
refers to the social, emotional and cultural health and wellbeing of the whole community in which
each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being, thereby contributing to the
overall health and wellbeing of their community. It is a whole-of-life view and includes the cyclical
concept of life–death–life.A connection with the land is essential to Aboriginal people and is seen as a major contributor to good
health and wellbeing.