U3 AOS1 Understanding HWB (3) Flashcards
Instrumental support
Support that is provided by peers and the community which aids assistance in accessing tangible needs.
Sociocultural factors
Sociocultural factors refer to aspects of society and the social environment that impact on health and wellbeing.
Social networks (family)
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.
Social networks (peers and community)
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).
The negative and positive impact of social networks (peers and community)
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).
Socioeconomic status
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.
Socioeconomic status effect on HWB
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.
Level of education
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.
Access to information
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.
Overcrowding and homelessness
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.
Overcrowding and homelessness effect on HWB
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.
Employment status
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.
Employment status effect on HWB
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.
Environmental factors
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.
List the environmental factors that contribute to differences in health status
Air, water, and sanitation quality; access to physical resources such as transport, recreation facilities and healthcare, workplace, climate change and natural disasters.
Air, water, and sanitation quality
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.
Air, water, and sanitation quality effect on HWB
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.
Access to physical resources such as transport, recreation facilities and healthcare
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.
Workplace
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.
Workplace effect on HWB
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.
Climate change and natural disasters
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.
Climate change and natural disasters effect on HWB
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.
List the biological factors contributing to the variations in health status of males and females
Body weight, hormone release.
Body weight (males and females)
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.
Hormone release (males and females)
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.
List the sociocultural factors that contribute to variations in health status of males and females
Employment status, income, and social expectations.
Employment status (males and females)
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.
Income (males and females)
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.
Social expectations (males and females)
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.
List the environmental factors contributing to the variations in health status of males and females
Workplace
Workplace (males and females)
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.
Metabolic syndrome or syndrome X
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.
List the biological factors contributing to the variations in health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations
Body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose regulation, birthweight, metabolic syndrome or syndrome X.
Birthweight (ATSI)
The prevalence of low-birthweight babies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers is nearly twice as high compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
Energy-dense foods
Foods that have a lot of energy but no other nutrients (e.g. chocolate, lollies).
