Health Definitions

Question 1

Health

Answer 1

A complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity

Question 2

Health

Answer 2

a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Question 3

Mental Health

Answer 3

state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community

Question 4

Physical Health

Answer 4

relates to the efficient functioning of the body and its systems, and includes the physical capacity to perform tasks and physical fitness

Question 5

Social Health

Answer 5

being able to interact with others and participate in the community in both an independent and cooperative way

Question 6

Health Status

Answer 6

an individual’s or a population’s overall health, taking into account various aspects such as life expectancy, amount of disability and levels of disease risk factors

Question 7

Burden of Disease

Answer 7

• a measure of the impact of diseases and injuries
• specifically it measures the gap between current health status and an ideal situation where everyone lives to an old age free of disease and disability
• burden of disease is measured in a unit called the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY)

Question 8

Disability Adjusted Life Expectancy (DALY)

Answer 8

• a measure of burden of disease, one DALY equals one year of healthy life lost due to premature death and time lived with illness, disease or injury
• YLL (years life lost) is the fatal component of BOD, indicating premature death
• YLD (years life lost due to disability) is the non-fatal component of BOD, indicates years of life lost due to disability or disease

Question 9

Health Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE)

Answer 9

• a measure of burden of disease based on life expectancy at birth, but including an adjustment for time spent in poor health
• it is the number of years in full health that a person can expect to live, based on current rates of ill health and mortality

Question 10

Life Expectancy

Answer 10

an indication of how long a person can expect live, it is the number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age if death rates do not change

Question 11

Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR)

Answer 11

the number of deaths of children under five years of age per 1000 live births

Question 12

Mortality

Answer 12

number of deaths caused by a particular disease of illness or other environmental factor during a period

Question 13

Morbidity

Answer 13

refers to ill health in an individual and the levels of ill health in a population or group

Question 14

Incidence

Answer 14

number or rate of new cases of a particular condition during a specific time

Question 15

Prevalance

Answer 15

the number or proportion of cases of a particular disease or condition present in a population at a given time

Question 16

Determinants Of Health

Answer 16

• Factors that raise or lower a level of health in a population or individual
• Determinants of health help to explain or predict trends in health and why some groups have better or worse health than others

Question 17

Physical Environment Determinant

Answer 17

• the physical surroundings in which we live, work and play
• the physical environment includes water and air, workplaces, housing, roads, nature, schools, recreation settings and exposure to hazards

Question 18

Social Determinant

Answer 18

-aspects of society and the social environment that impact on health, such as poverty, early life experiences, social networks and support

Question 19

Behavioural Determinant

Answer 19

actions or patterns of living of an individual or a group that impact on health, such as smoking, sexual activity, participation in physical activity, eating practices

Question 20

Biological Determinant

Answer 20

factors relating to the body that impact on health, such as genetics, hormones, body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels