Core 2: Better Health for Individuals

Question 1

Meaning of Health

Answer 1

Health is the complete physical. mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Question 2

Dimensions of Health (5)

Answer 2

Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual and Social

Question 3

Physical Health

Answer 3

Refers to the bodily aspect of health including physical condition. (eg absence of disease or injury)

Question 4

Mental Health

Answer 4

Refers to how the brain is functioning

(eg. ability to use brain and think, neural pathways, memory)

Question 5

Emotional Health

Answer 5

Mood or general emotional state, our ability to recognise and express feelings.

Question 6

Spiritual Health

Answer 6

Sense of overall purpose in life. It can be found in belief or faith.

(eg. achieving goals, overcoming adversity)

Question 7

Social Health

Answer 7

Our ability to make and maintain meaningful relationships w/ others

(eg. relationships w/ family and friends)

Question 8

Relative Nature of Health

Answer 8

The relative nature of health refers to the use of others to compare the health status of a particular person.

(eg. when a person decides that an elite sports person is healthier than their friend who is into tennis.)

Question 9

Dynamic Nature of Health

Answer 9

The dynamic nature of health refers to the fact that the health status of anyone is continually changing and can change dramatically with little notice.

(eg. being well one day and ill the next)

Question 10

Perception of Health

Answer 10

People perception of health is highly subjective. When making a judgement of our own on others health and wellbeing our perceptions are influenced by a range of factors including ; personal interpretation, behaviours and lifestyle, past level of health, attitudes about health and optimism.

Question 11

Implications of different perceptions of health.

1. Individual level , 2.Policy level

Answer 11

Individual level> peoples perceptions of their health have a significant in fluence on their lifestyle. (eg. a person who regularly drinks large amounts of alcohol and recognises his behaviour is more likely to stop drinking.

Policy Level> this perception of health drives government and organisation policies and expenditure.

Question 12

Statistics of Health (3)

Answer 12

-Mortality) no. of deaths
-Morbidity) no. of an incident
-Life Expectancy) avg. no. of years of life remaining.

Question 14

Perceptions of Health as a Social Construct

Answer 14

Social Construct > How our views of health and who possesses it are largely influenced by SOCIAL, ECONOMIC and CULTURAL conditions of our family and society.

Factors include; Gender, Geographic location, Age, Cultural background, Level of Education, Socioeconomic status and Community values.

Question 15

Socioeconomic status

Answer 15

The position that an individual or family occupies with reference to income, education, employment and occupation.

Low SES people have poorer health outcomes eg. smoking and alcohol.

Question 16

Geographic Location

Question 17

Cultural Background

Question 18

Impact of the Media, Peers and Family.

Answer 18

Media >

Peers >

Family >

Question 19

Health Behaviours of Young People

Question 20

Protective Behaviours

Answer 20

Those behaviours that are likely to enhance a person’s level of health. For example, eating the right amount of fruit and vegetables.

Question 21

Risk Behaviours

Answer 21

Those health behaviours that have been found to contribute to the development of health problems or poorer levels of health. For example, smoking.

Question 22

Individual Factors

Answer 22

Knowledge & skills, health literacy, attitude and genetics

Question 22

The Determinants of Health (4)

Answer 22

1. Individual factors
2. Sociocultural factors
3. Socioeconomic factors
   4.Environmental factors

Question 23

Sociocultural Factors

Answer 23

Family, Peers, Media and Culture

Question 24

Socioeconomic Factors

Answer 24

Education, Employment, Income,

Question 25

The Degree of Control and Individual can exert over their health.

Answer 25

The degree of control individuals can exert over their health varies across our lifespan and our various contexts. Not all Australians are able to exert the same degree of control over their health, resulting in inequalities in the health status of particular groups.

Question 25

Environmental Factors

Answer 25

Geographic location, access to technology and health services.

Question 26

Modifiable health determinants

Answer 26

Those determinants that can be changed or controlled so they have a different level of influence on our health

-Knowledge + skills, attitude
-Self-efficacy (belief)
-Peers, religion
-Employment

Question 27

Non-modifiable health determinants

Answer 27

Determinants that cannot be changed or altered.

-Heredity, Age, Cultural background, genetics and family

Question 28

The changing influence of determinants through different life stages.

Answer 28

Through the life stages of life the influences on your health and decisions will change.

eg. babies main influence = family/ parents

adolescent and young adults = ppers, media and role modes

Question 29

Interrelationships of Determinants

Question 29

Health as a social construct