UNIT 1

Question 1

Growth

Answer 1

Growth refers to organs and systems increasing in size. It is an important aspect of physical development.

Question 2

Human Lifespan

Answer 2

The human lifespan starts with conception and ends with death. Different cultures and societies have different ways of defining the stages within the human lifespan. In most Western societies, the stages are classified as follows:

Question 3

Youth

Answer 3

The youth stage of the lifespan is perhaps the hardest to define, but is assumed to begin at 12 years of age and continue until 18. This stage is characterised by rapid growth, increased independence and sexual maturity - it is essentially the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Question 4

Milestones

Answer 4

Milestones refer to the significant skills or events that occur in a person’s life, including learning to walk, getting a job or having children.

Question 5

Primary Sexual Characteristics

Answer 5

Primary sexual characteristics are the parts of the body that are directly involved in reproduction. The characteristics that develop for males include the enlargement of the penis, the first ejaculation and the growth of the testes and consequential production of sperm. The characteristics that develop for females include the enlargement of the ovaries, uterus, vagina, labia and clitoris and the first ovulation and menstruation.

Question 6

Secondary Sexual Characteristics

Answer 6

Secondary sexual characteristics arise from changes that occur in both males (skin becomes oily, body hair develops - pubic, underarm, chest and arm, facial hair appears, voice deepens, shoulders broaden/increased stature/increased muscle mass) and females (skin becomes oily, body hair develops - underarm and pubic, increased fat to muscle ratio, breasts develop and hips widen) but are not directly related to reproduction and are not present at birth.

Question 7

Optimal Health

Answer 7

Optimal health refers to the highest level of health an individual can realistically attain. Everyone is born with a different genetic potential and is influenced by different environments. As a result, every individual’s level of optimal health will be different.

Question 8

Interrelationships

Answer 8

None of the four areas of development occur in isolation, and so are said to be interrelated. That is, a change in one will produce a change in the others.

Question 9

Health Status

Answer 9

Health status refers to the level of health being experienced by an individual or a population after taking into account factors such as life expectancy, disability rates and risk of disease.

Question 10

Trends

Answer 10

A trend is a general movement or pattern. Sometimes trend data is valuable because it tells us what has been happening to the data over a period of time.

Question 11

Life Expectancy

Answer 11

Life expectancy gives an indication of how long a person can expect to live if the current death rates stay the same.

Question 12

Mortality

Answer 12

Mortality refers to deaths in a population. The mortality rate is therefore an indication of how many deaths occurred in a population in a given period of time for a specific cause/all causes.

Question 13

Morbidity

Answer 13

Morbidity refers to ill-health - including disease, injury and disability - in an individual, and the level of ill-health in a population. So the morbidity rate refers to the rate of ill-health in a population in a given period of time.

Question 14

Burden of Disease

Answer 14

Burden of disease is a health indicator that combines mortality data with morbidity data so that conditions that contribute differently to death and illness can be compared.

Question 15

DALYs

Answer 15

DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) is 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.

Question 16

YLLs

Answer 16

YLLs (Years of Life Lost) is a measure of how many years of expected life are lost due to premature death.

Question 17

YLDs

Answer 17

YLDs (Years Lost Due to Disability) is a measure of how many ‘healthy’ years of life are lost due to morbidity.

Question 18

Incidence

Answer 18

Incidence refers to the number (or rate) of new cases of a condition in a given period of time.

Question 19

Prevalence

Answer 19

Prevalence refers to the total number or proportion of cases of a condition present at a given time.

Question 20

Determinants

Answer 20

Determinants are factors that raise or lower the level of health in a population or an individual. Determinants of health help to explain or predict trends in health, and why some groups have better or worse health than others.

Question 21

Protective Factor

Answer 21

Protective factors refer to any factor that decreases the chances of a negative health outcome occurring (e.g. exercise prevents/guards against the development of excess fat).

Question 22

Risk Factor

Answer 22

Risk factors refer to any factor that will increase the chances of a negative health outcome occurring (e.g. smoking increases the risk of cancer).

Question 23

Behavioural Determinants

Answer 23

Behavioural determinants focus on the actions or patterns of living of an individual or group that affect health (e.g. smoking, sexual activity, participation in physical activity, eating practices).

Question 24

Biological Determinants

Answer 24

The biological determinants are concerned with the body’s cells, tissues, organs and systems, and how they function. They include genetics, hormonal changes and body weight.

Question 25

Physical Environment Determinants

Answer 25

The physical environment encompasses 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 26

Social Environment Determinants

Answer 26

The social environment refers to the aspects of society and the social environment that impact on health. This includes the people with whom an individual associates, the decisions that are made on behalf of the community (e.g. policies and laws), and the position of an individual compared to others in the society (based on factors including income and occupation).

Question 27

Genetics

Answer 27

The term ‘genetics’ refers to the biological information that is passed down from parents to children at the time of conception. Most cells in the human body contain this genetic material, which contributes to many aspects of health and individual human development for youth.

Question 28

Chromosomes

Answer 28

Chromosomes contain tightly coiled DNA that form when cells divide. They are located in the nucleus of the cell in 23 pairs; one of each pair is from the mother, and the other is from the father.

Question 29

Obesity

Answer 29

Obesity refers to the possession of excess body weight, in the form of fat, that can be harmful to an individual’s health. It is measured using the BMI scoring system (scoring over 30 is classified as obese), and a waist circumference of over 89cm for females, and 102cm for males, also places someone into this category.

Question 30

Overweight

Answer 30

Overweight refers to the possession of excess body weight, in the form of fat, that can be harmful to an individual’s health. It is measured using the BMI scoring system (scoring between 25-30 is classified as overweight).

Question 31

Percentile Charts

Answer 31

Percentile charts are used to measure/track a child’s development using population averages for height, weight and head circumference.

Question 32

Puberty

Answer 32

Puberty refers to the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction.

Question 33

Hormones

Answer 33

Hormones are chemicals that are released by a series of glands that make up the endocrine system. Hormones play an important role in bringing about changes in physical development during youth.

Question 34

Growth Hormone

Answer 34

Growth hormone is released from the pituitary gland during puberty at around double the amount that it was present during childhood, increasing the rate of growth and leading to the growth spurt in youth.

Question 35

FSH

Answer 35

FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) is secreted during puberty, and acts on the testes, causing the production and release of testosterone, and the ovaries, causing the production and release oestrogen, in men and women respectively.

Question 36

LH

Answer 36

LH (Luteinising Hormone) is secreted during puberty, and acts on the testes, causing the production and release of testosterone, and the ovaries, causing the production and release oestrogen, in men and women respectively.

Question 37

Testosterone

Answer 37

Testosterone is a hormone that is responsible for the development of the male reproductive organs and produces muscle development, voice changes and facial hair sprouting during puberty.

Question 38

Oestrogen

Answer 38

Oestrogen is a hormone that is responsible for the development of the female reproductive system and increases fat deposits, promotes breast development and plays a role in regulating the menstrual cycle during puberty.

Question 39

Self-Esteem

Answer 39

Self-esteem refers to how people feel about themselves. Having positive self-esteem means that people feel good about themselves. Self-esteem influences behaviour, as those with positive self-esteem are more likely to speak their mind and act independently and responsibly.

Question 40

Self-Concept

Answer 40

Self-concept relates to how individuals see themselves. They may have different views about different aspects of themselves, such as their academic ability, social skills and physical capabilities. Self-concept also influences the formation of an individual’s identity.

Question 41

Socio-Economic Status

Answer 41

Socio-Economic Status (SES) is a measure of an individual’s or family’s economic and social position within society relative to others, usually based on education, occupation and income.

Question 42

Sexual Characteristics

Answer 42

Sexual characteristics refer to the changes that occur to the reproductive system during youth, including the sex organs and the way in which they function.