U3 AOS1 Understanding HWB (4)

Question 1

Blood glucose regulation (ATSI)

Answer 1

Indigenous Australians are more likely to experience high blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels that are not considered high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes indicate impaired glucose regulation and impaired glucose regulation is greater among Indigenous Australians.

Question 2

Blood pressure (ATSI)

Answer 2

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males were more likely than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females to have high blood pressure, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults were significantly more likely than other Australian adults to have high blood pressure.

Question 3

Bodyweight (ATSI)

Answer 3

Indigenous girls are more likely to be underweight compared to non-indigenous girls. Additionally, they are also more likely to be obese. Indigenous males of the same age also had increased levels of underweight and obesity compared to non-indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australian adults are also more likely to be obese compared with non-Indigenous adults.

Question 4

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

Answer 4

Air, water, and sanitation quality, and access to physical resources.

Question 5

Access to physical resources (ATSI)

Answer 5

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples live in either regional or remote Australia, they are exposed to poor to road quality including, higher speed limits, poor road condition, a higher risk of collision with wildlife and livestock. Therefore, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are limited in the access to resources such as healthcare facilities and treatment options, specialist and diagnostic services.

Question 6

Air, water, and sanitation quality (ATSI)

Answer 6

Due to poor quality housing, Indigenous Australians experience higher levels of unsafe drinking water and non-functioning sanitation systems, increasing the prevalence of infectious diseases such as influenza and pneumonia. Due to the high rates of tobacco use, passive smoking exposure for children is high for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

Question 7

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

Answer 7

Social expectations, overcrowding and homelessness, social networks (family; peers and community), employment status, level of education, and socioeconomic status.

Question 8

Social expectations (ATSI)

Answer 8

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are less likely to access healthcare than other Australians.

Question 9

Overcrowding and homelessness (ATSI)

Answer 9

Indigenous Australians lived in homes that required one or more additional bedrooms and were more than three times as likely as other households to be deemed overcrowded.

Question 10

Social networks (peers and community), (ATSI)

Answer 10

Indigenous Australians have a strong sense of belonging as many of them identify with a clan, tribal, or language group providing what seems to be a supportive network to Indigenous Australians. However, in times of crisis Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been unable to access social support when compared with non-Indigenous Australians.

Question 11

Social networks (family), (ATSI)

Answer 11

Hospitalisation due to violence is significantly higher in Indigenous communities compared with non-Indigenous. This indicates that the family environment may have a greater negative influence on the health status of Indigenous Australians compared to non-Indigenous Australians.

Question 12

Employment status (ATSI)

Answer 12

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have relatively low levels of employment and relatively high levels of unemployment compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are inclined to participate in low-skilled labour work, increasing risks of a number of health conditions and injury.

Question 13

Employment status effect on HWB, (ATSI)

Answer 13

Unemployment can contribute to a range of psychological outcomes, including anxiety and social isolation as well as mental disorders. Substance abuse is more prevalent among the unemployed than those engaged in permanent employment.

Question 14

Level of education (ATSI)

Answer 14

Completion of Year 12 among Indigenous students is still lower than non-Indigenous populations. A lower level of education reduces opportunities for employment and decent income. Literacy skills are greatly impacted by education so Indigenous Australians who have low levels of education have reduced literacy skills compared to non-Indigenous Australians, resulting in the inability to understand health promotion messages increasing the risk of developing a range of conditions.

Question 15

Socioeconomic status (ATSI)

Answer 15

Ill health is more prevalent among lower income earners. The impact of a low weekly income can include the inability to purchase essential items. Lower incomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can also impact on the accessibility of healthcare that is not covered by Medicare (e.g., dental care).

Question 16

List the biological factors contributing to the variations in health status of high and low socioeconomic status

Answer 16

Body weight, and blood pressure.

Question 17

Body weight (high and low socioeconomic status)

Answer 17

Australians living in areas of most disadvantage were overweight or obese compared with the least disadvantaged areas. Underweight individuals are more likely to be of low-SES, often due to the link between low income and food insecurity.

Question 18

Blood pressure (high and low socioeconomic status)

Answer 18

The lower the household income, the greater the likelihood exists of people having high blood pressure. High blood pressure was 1.2 times as high in the low-SES population compared with the high-SES population.

Question 19

List the sociocultrual factors contributing to the variations in health status of high and low socioeconomic status

Answer 19

Socioeconomic status, level of education, employment status, social networks (family), and access to health information.

Question 20

Employment status (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 20

Unemployment rates are higher for low-SES populations living in the most disadvantaged areas of Australia compared with those of high SES. For both males and females, people who were unemployed were significantly more likely to report fair or poor health than those employed in mainstream jobs.

Question 21

Socioeconomic status (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 21

Those of low socioeconomic status experience reduced income. Having a low income can also increase the psychological distress experienced by those of low-SES, where a lack of financial security can impact on decision-making processes and create a sense of having a lack of control over one’s life. High-SES groups are more likely to have reduced levels of psychological distress due to their financial security.

Question 22

Level of education (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 22

Low-SES populations have lower levels of educational qualifications. Higher levels of education improve employment prospects, thus improving future income. Higher levels of education have been associated with improved health literacy and a reduced likelihood of engaging in health-risk behaviours (e.g., smoking).

Question 23

Social networks (family), (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 23

Family can influence a range of factors that have an impact on health status. Those from a low-SES family may be more likely to experience partner violence. It is evident that as socioeconomic status decreases the proportion of people experiencing partner assault increases. This increases risks of injury as well as mental health problems.

Question 24

Access to health information (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 24

Low-SES groups are less likely to use preventative health measures (for example, getting advice about ways to stop smoking) compared with high-SES groups, and inability to access information may be a contributing factor to this. Low SES leads to less access to resources that provide the information such as media and technology (e.g., internet access).

Question 25

Health literacy

Answer 25

The ability to obtain, interpret and understand basic health information and services in ways that enhance health. Those with a low level of education may have difficulty understanding the content and applying information to their own specific situation.

Question 26

Quintiles

Answer 26

A measure of the socioeconomic status of Australian’s that is measured through income and reported according to specific criteria then ranked into five equal parts referred to as quintiles with the fifth quintile being those experiencing the least disadvantage and the first quintile being those experiencing the most disadvantage.

Question 27

List the enviromental factors contributing to the variations in health status of high and low socioeconomic status

Answer 27

Air quality, and access to physical resources.

Question 28

Air quality (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 28

There is strong evidence that passive smoking caused by environmental tobacco smoke increases the risks of diseases across the lifespan. Higher rates of people from the low socioeconomic group were smokers compared to the highest socioeconomic group.

Question 29

Access to physical resources (low and high socioeconomic status)

Answer 29

Low-income households have more difficulty finding and maintaining affordable housing with fully functioning facilities such as plumbing and an ongoing gas. A power supply ensures that food is safely stored (refrigeration), prepared and cooked appropriately, and provides access to internet, which enables enhanced knowledge. Low-SES groups experience inadequate housing conditions more than high-SES groups.

Question 30

List the biological factors contributing to variations in health status of Australians living within and outside major cities

Answer 30

Body weight, birthweight, and blood cholestrol.

Question 31

Body weight (within and outside major cities)

Answer 31

The proportion of overweight and obesity increases as remoteness increases, putting those in more remote areas at risk of many chronic diseases.

Question 32

Birthweight (within and outside major cities)

Answer 32

Australians living outside major cities have a higher percentage of low-birthweight babies compared with major cities. This results from increased tobacco smoking during pregnancy, geographic location restricting access to health care and higher rates of young (i.e., teenage) and older (i.e., 35+) mothers.

Question 33

Blood cholesterol (within and outside major cities)

Answer 33

Australians residing outside major cities are more likely to have high total cholesterol than those living in major cities.

Question 34

List the sociocultrual factors contributing to variations in health status of Australians living within and outside major cities

Answer 34

Income, level of education, and employment status.

Question 35

Level of education (within and outside major cities)

Answer 35

Year 12 certification rates were highest in major cities of Australia compared with remote and very remote areas.