Unit 1: Health, Wellness, and Assessing Credibility

Question 1

Life expectancy vs. Lifespan

Answer 1

Life expectancy: how long we are expected to live

Lifespan: how long we are capable of living (~120 years)

Question 2

Top 3 leading causes of death in Canada

Answer 2

1. Cancer
2. Heart disease
3. Accidents

Question 3

Health vs. Wellbeing

Answer 3

Health: the overall condition of both body and mind and the presence or absence of illness or injury.

Wellness: optimal health or vitality, encompassing all the dimensions of well-being

Question 4

Medical model of health (A.K.A Illness model) ~ 1800s

Answer 4

Viewed health as the absence of disease.

• the physician is responsible for your health by prescribing treatments
• Focused on the disorder rather than on the person

Goal of this model is to prevent morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death)

Question 5

9 dimensions of wellness

Answer 5

1. Physical
2. Emotional
3. Intellectual
4. Interpersonal
5. Cultural
6. Spiritual
7. Environmental
8. Financial
9. Occupational

Question 6

Health through prevention model (1970s)

Answer 6

Shift in thinking towards health promotion.

• focused on prevention instead of treatment
• relates the main causes of mortality to known risk factors

Question 7

3 levels of the Health through prevention model

Answer 7

Personal level: it is the responsibility of the person to change their health behaviours

Community level: health promoters can target high risk groups and focus on prevention or early detection

Health-care provider level: physicians can act as a resource to raise awareness of risk factors

Question 8

The Framingham study

Answer 8

Showed that people who didn’t smoke/drink, were physically active, and ate 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day lived ~14 years longer than people who didn’t

Question 9

Social determinants of health

(read textbook and be able to differentiate between these factors)

Answer 9

1. Income
2. Education
3. Job security
4. Early childhood development
5. Food insecurity
6. Housing
7. Social exclusion
8. Social safety net
9. Health services
10. Indigenous status
11. Gender
12. Ethnicity
13. Disability

Question 10

Strategies to improve social determinants of health

Answer 10

1. Social inclusion
2. Education
3. Employment
4. Reduced income disparities
5. Universal health care access
6. Housing and food security
7. Helping individuals make informed health decisions

Question 11

7 dimensions of wellness

(Fill in each with textbook)

Answer 11

1. Physical
2. Emotional
3. Intellectual
4. Interpersonal
5. Cultural
6. Spiritual
7. Environmental
8. Financial
9. Occupational

Question 12

stages of changing behaviour

Answer 12

1. Pre-contemplation: raising consciousness
2. Contemplation: self re-evaluating, emotional arousal
3. Preparation: commitment
4. Action: progress
5. Maintenance: keep going

6.termination: rewards

Question 13

S.M.A.R.T goals

Answer 13

S- Specific - Avoid vague goals
M-Measureable - trackable goals
A-Attainable - within your limits
R-Realistic - doable
T- Time-Frame Specific - reasonable amount of time

Question 14

Self-efficacy

Answer 14

The belief in one’s ability to achieve a goal

Question 15

Rule for assessing the credibility of health information

Answer 15

If it sounds too good to be true it probably isn’t true

Ex. “I got ripped in 4 weeks”

Question 16

hierarchy of evidence for health claims

Answer 16

1. Experimental
2. Epidemiological
3. Clinical
4. Personal
5. Anecdotal

Question 17

Experimental evidence

Answer 17

scientific evidence, application of the scientific method

Question 18

Epidemiological evidence

Answer 18

making observations in a population to link together variables

Ex. Dr. John Snow talked to people diagnosed with cholera and found out that the cause of cholera was a contaminated well.

Question 19

Epidemiology: Correlation

Answer 19

The use of population data

Ex. Tracking the spread of a disease through a population

• can lead to association that do not necessarily imply cause and effect

Ex. Comparing global average temperature with number of pirates

Question 20

Epidemiology: Causation

Answer 20

Our ability to ascertain cause and effect depends on several factors (using example of smoking and lung cancer):

strength of association
- smoking is associated w lung cancer

Dose-response
- risk for lung cancer increases the more cigarettes a person smokes

Consistency
- many studies link smoking w lung cancer

Temporally correct
- is the timing right? Lung cancer develops after years or decades

Specificity
- the increased risk is specific to smokers

Biological plausibility
- there is a mechanism that can explain cause and effect

Question 21

Misinformation of health claims

Answer 21

• anecdotes are often untrue accusations
• social media tends to exaggerate health claims for views or attention

Question 22

Steps to take when evaluating health information

Answer 22

1. Go to original source
   - check if it is based on proper science
2. Watch for misleading language
   - words like “breakthrough” and “dramatic proof” are usually hype
3. Dont blindly trust anecdotes
4. Be skeptical
   - if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is

Question 23

Assessing credibility on the internet

Answer 23

1. What is the source
   - government websites or trustworthy websites will guarantee truthful information
2. How often is the site updated
   - look for sites updated frequently
3. ** Is the site promotional**
   - are they trying to make money
4. ** what do other sources say**
   - be wary of claims exclusively from one website
5. Is there a set of criteria for accuracy that the site conforms to
   - respected sources tend to have a set of principles

Question 24

Important takeaway

Answer 24

Association ≠ causation

(Learn abt this more in textbook)

Question 25

Health disparity

Answer 25

A health difference linked to social, economic, or environmental disadvantage that affects a group of people.

Ex. Gender, race, income, disability, geographical location, etc.