Core 1: Better Health for Individuals Flashcards
What was the early definition of health and why was it flawed?
Meaning: opposite of illness, related to physical health
Problems: too narrow, not hollistic
What is the WHO’s definition of health?
“A state of completed physical, mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or infirmary” - More holistic,
Problems: suggests that all areas must be perfect in order to be healthy
What are the dimensions of health?
Physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual
What is physical health?
Capability to exercise, absence of disease, body shape, fitness level, illness recovery
What is mental health?
Ability to adapt and cope with adversity
What is emotional health?
The ability to express and control emotions appropriately, have good self esteem, resolve conflict and maintain perspective
What is social health?
The ability to form and maintain meaningful relationships, follow standard behaviour
What is spiritual health?
The need to establish life’s purpose, feel a connection with nature and/or follow a religion. This can assist with decision making and shape values
Explain the relative and dynamic nature of health
Relative: health is measured in relation to others or a stage in life. For example, how an elderly person views good health would be different from a teenager.
Dynamic: a person’s health status is constantly changing - moving up and down the health continuum. Changes can be acute or chronic
Explain different perceptions of a person’s own health
The way we view our health may differ from an elderly person or a pro athlete. This is based on our own knowledge about health or our goals.
E.g pro athlete vs elderly person
What are the implications of different perceptions of health for individuals?
Perceptions influence life choices - good or bad. Having high perceptions of health may lead to better lifestyle choices
What are the implications of different perceptions of health for society?
Social perceptions of health may influence individual perceptions e.g. social media -> women’s body image, news -> buying certain foods
What does ‘heath as a social construct’ mean?
A concept that has meaning and a shared understanding based on people’s way of seeing, interpreting and interacting. Therefore, we create our perceptions of health depending on social circumstances.
What is the public health approach?
Developing social solutions to health problems
e.g. exercise promotion ‘Girls Make Your Move’ - promotes exercise through social media
What is the impact of the media on health?
Spreads health-related information, raises awareness of issues, raises expectations and promotes stereotypes
