U3 AOS1 Understanding HWB (3)

Question 1

Instrumental support

Answer 1

Support that is provided by peers and the community which aids assistance in accessing tangible needs.

Question 2

Sociocultural factors

Answer 2

Sociocultural factors refer to aspects of society and the social environment that impact on health and wellbeing.

Question 3

Social networks (family)

Answer 3

Not all parents have the same resources to assist with their child’s healthy development therefore factors such as parental income, education, community resources, limitations and provisions of health information and skills can either restrict or advantage their ability to provide opportunities to model healthy behaviours.

Question 4

Social networks (peers and community)

Answer 4

Having someone to turn to when support is needed. For example, one’s peers and community create a support network that can be emotional (e.g., nurturing and encouraging), instrumental (e.g., helping to access health and social services), physical (e.g., financial), or informational (e.g., advice).

Question 5

The negative and positive impact of social networks (peers and community)

Answer 5

A person may be more likely to smoke if their friends do (negative impact), or to participate in regular exercise if their friends do (positive).

Question 6

Socioeconomic status

Answer 6

Sometimes referred to as a social class is determined by an individual’s income, level of education, and employment status. An inability to improve socioeconomic status or a ‘cycle of low SES’ is often then created through an inability to earn an income because of poorer health outcomes.

Question 7

Socioeconomic status effect on HWB

Answer 7

People with a low SES, for example, may experience poorer health outcomes, have higher rates of disease and disability and lower life expectancy than those who have a high SES. Low SES groups are more likely to engage in damaging behaviours and are reported to access the healthcare system for preventative purposes less frequently.

Question 8

Level of education

Answer 8

Higher levels of education are associated with higher income and better employment prospects. Education increases the level of an individual’s health literacy, resulting in improved lifestyle decisions.

Question 9

Access to information

Answer 9

Includes the access to comprehensive and high-quality information in relation to health and healthcare is important to ensure that all groups in the population are equally able to achieve optimal health and well-being.

Question 10

Overcrowding and homelessness

Answer 10

Overcrowding puts increased stress on health infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage systems. Overcrowding may contribute to an inadequately maintained power supply which can restrict the ability to undertake everyday living practices (e.g., such as washing, cooking). Homelessness leads to inadequate safety and place to stay.

Question 11

Overcrowding and homelessness effect on HWB

Answer 11

Overcrowding is considered to have its main impact on the health of children and can cause respiratory conditions, skin infections and meningitis. Homelessness is linked to a range of health concerns, including mental health disorders.

Question 12

Employment status

Answer 12

The workplace can promote healthy activities and behaviours, a sense of identity, social status and purpose in life, as well as additional social support. Employment also provides a source of income, which gives people the opportunity to pursue health-promoting behaviours and to live in circumstances that promote health and wellbeing. Limited finances can also limit healthy lifestyle choices, increasing other behavioural risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, or drug use.

Question 13

Employment status effect on HWB

Answer 13

Increased risk of premature death, and chronic mental illnesses (such as stress and anxiety). Unemployed people are less likely to have strong support networks and long-term unemployment increases the risk of self-harm, suicide, and attempted suicide.

Question 14

Environmental factors

Answer 14

The surroundings in which we live, work and play such as water and air, workplaces, roads, recreating settings and exposure hazards that can affect the choices individuals make regarding their health and well-being.

Question 15

List the environmental factors that contribute to differences in health status

Answer 15

Air, water, and sanitation quality; access to physical resources such as transport, recreation facilities and healthcare, workplace, climate change and natural disasters.

Question 16

Air, water, and sanitation quality

Answer 16

A combination of largely involuntary factors such as air containing condiments such as asbestos, moulds, or carbon monoxide. Water ways may include faecal contamination and industrial pollution, or inadequate sanitation may be a result of sewage outfalls.

Question 17

Air, water, and sanitation quality effect on HWB

Answer 17

Air pollution can be recognised to cause higher levels of respiratory diseases, and asthma. Diseases associated with the consumption of unsanitary or poor-quality water include diarrhoea and hepatitis. Consumption of unsafe drinking water can result in dehydration due to a loss of fluids when experiencing diarrhoea, and this can lead to loss of life.

Question 18

Access to physical resources such as transport, recreation facilities and healthcare

Answer 18

Transport systems such as public transport enable people to access a range of services (e.g., healthcare) which improves health status of a population. The geographic location of resources such as healthcare can contribute to health status as can where a person lives which determines their level of access to essential services.

Question 19

Workplace

Answer 19

The place an individual is employed to conduct labour for compensation. The type of work and the tasks involved influence a worker’s risk of physical injury and illness.

Question 20

Workplace effect on HWB

Answer 20

Jobs that require a worker to undertake repetitive movements (such as lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy loads) put individuals at higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, over-extension, and repetitive strain injuries. Sedentary jobs can contribute to the risk of obesity and chronic diseases (such as heart disease) due to the absence of physical activity.

Question 21

Climate change and natural disasters

Answer 21

The warming earth and changing climate increase the risk of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, bushfires, or severe storm therefore affecting health and wellbeing.

Question 22

Climate change and natural disasters effect on HWB

Answer 22

Impact food production, resulting in a change in fresh food consumption due to higher costs, which could increase a range of diet-related diseases (i.e., obesity, type 2 diabetes melitus). Changes to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation due to changing temperatures can increase the prevalence of skin cancer, including melanoma, and eye diseases.

Question 23

List the biological factors contributing to the variations in health status of males and females

Answer 23

Body weight, hormone release.

Question 24

Body weight (males and females)

Answer 24

A higher proportion of males compared to females are obese or overweight with the greatest number of males.

After puberty (and before menopause) males and females accumulate body fat differently. Females are more likely to accumulate body fat in the bottom and legs, whereas males are more likely to accumulate it in the abdomen.

Abdominal fat is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus because it indicates that a higher proportion of fat is surrounding the major organs.

Question 25

Hormone release (males and females)

Answer 25

Oestrogen can play a protective role against cardiovascular disease. However, oestrogen production also plays a role in the development of osteoporosis. For pre-menopausal women, oestrogen is a protection against developing osteoporosis. However, once a woman reaches menopause and stops producing oestrogen, the risk of developing osteoporosis increases, as 10% of women’s bone density is lost and are four times more likely to have osteoporosis than males.

The level of testosterone in males is also thought to be a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of testosterone can result in greater risk-taking behaviours, therefore, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.

Question 26

List the sociocultural factors that contribute to variations in health status of males and females

Answer 26

Employment status, income, and social expectations.

Question 27

Employment status (males and females)

Answer 27

Unemployment tends to have a greater impact on the mental and spiritual health and wellbeing of males due to the fact of females being more likely to be the primary caregiver thereby experiencing a sense of purpose. males may feel there is a stigma attached to being unemployed.

Question 28

Income (males and females)

Answer 28

Females tend to have a lower income than males due to the gender pay gap which is influenced by bias in hiring, different industries, women having a greater proportion of unpaid caring and domestic work, and less flexibility for childcare. Also, the greater amount of time women spends out of the workforce caring for children may reduce opportunities for promotion.

Question 29

Social expectations (males and females)

Answer 29

Due to social expectations and attitudes that men should be more ‘macho’, there are some differences in relation to the use of healthcare. On average, males are less likely to seek medical treatment and are less likely to undergo screening for diseases such as cancer. Males are also less likely than females to absorb health-promotion messages and implement health-promotion activities.

Question 30

List the environmental factors contributing to the variations in health status of males and females

Answer 30

Workplace

Question 31

Workplace (males and females)

Answer 31

Men are more likely than women to be employed in high-risk jobs, where they are exposed to several different hazards that may impact their health status which may happen cumulatively or immediately. For example, asthma, muscle and back paid causing disability, hearing and vision conditions. Men also have higher rates of injuries associated with the workplace than women.

Question 32

Metabolic syndrome or syndrome X

Answer 32

A collection of risk factors that often occur together that include hypertension, or diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol level. A person with two or more of these risk factors is said to have metabolic syndrome.

Question 33

List the biological factors contributing to the variations in health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations

Answer 33

Body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose regulation, birthweight, metabolic syndrome or syndrome X.

Question 34

Birthweight (ATSI)

Answer 34

The prevalence of low-birthweight babies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers is nearly twice as high compared to non-Indigenous Australians.

Question 35

Energy-dense foods

Answer 35

Foods that have a lot of energy but no other nutrients (e.g. chocolate, lollies).