Health Behaviours and Risk Behaviours

Question 1

What do we mean by health behaviour?

Answer 1

• Actions taken by individuals that affect their health
• Intentional or unintentional
• ie. physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol etc.

Question 2

Why do people from lower SES have poorer health behaviours?

Answer 2

• “Postcode” influence on health
• Less money have poorer health than those who earn more
• Less education have poorer health than those with higher levels
• Disadvantaged neighbourhoods have poorer health than those in more advantaged areas

Question 3

What are possible explanations for why low SES have poor health

Answer 3

• Individual factors: health literacy, education, income, adverse childhood experiences, control beliefs
• Society factors: environment/neighbourhood, social policy, education/health system

Question 4

What is health literacy?

Answer 4

Is people’s ability to access, understand and apply health knowledge

Question 5

What are correlations between education and income?

Answer 5

1) Good education has protective benefits (ie leads to better health)
2) Poor health affects education
3) Adverse childhood experiences- stress in childhood

Question 6

What are control beliefs?

Answer 6

Locus of control is where one believes control lies
-ie. internal control could be
expressed as: “My physical wellbeing depends on how well I take care of myself
-Sense of hopelessness

Question 7

What are aspects of neighbourhood that affect health?

Answer 7

• Social aspects (ie. peer pressure, safety)
• Built environment (ie. footpaths, trees)
• Pollution
• Housing (quality of home)

Question 8

What are aspects that affect health?

Answer 8

• Income
• Health literacy
• Education
• Neighbourhood
• Adverse childhood experiences