Unit 3 AOS 1 SAC 2 Flashcards
Biological Factors
Factors relating to the body that impact on health and wellbeing, such as genetics, body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, birth weight
Sociocultural Factors
- Socioeconomic-status (income, education and occupation)
- Level of education
- Employment status - unemployment
- Social connection. and social exclusion
- Social isolation
- Cultural norms
- Access to health healthcare
- Early life experiences
- Food security
Environmental factors
- Geographical location
- Work environment
- Climate change and natural disasters
- Housing: physical condition
Body weight
High body weight is a leading contributor to a number of health conditions and other biological factors. The higher the body weight, the greater risk of health conditions such as:
- High blood cholesterol
- Impaired glucose regulation
- High blood pressure
- CVD
- Type 2 diabetes
- Arthritis
- Mental health conditions
- Some cancers (colorectal)
Measured with BMI
Blood pressure
Normal blood pressure is measured 120 over 80.
People with high blood pressure may be diagnosed with a condition called hypertension. This means the blood is unable to flow as easily through the blood vessels when compared to someone with normal blood pressure
Blood cholesterol
Cholesterol is an essential type of fat required by the body for a variety of processes. The body creates cholesterol in the lover; however most people consume additional cholesterol from animal products like full cream milk and fatty cuts of meat.
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) get stuck on the walls of the blood vessels causing a smaller space for blood to travel through resulting in plaque build up and hardening of the arteries known as atherosclerosis.
Glucose regulation
Glucose is the preferred fuel source for energy production in cells.
Food consumed - carbohydrates broken down into glucose - glucose in the bloodstream triggers release of insulin from pancreas, insulin is used to unlock the cell to allow glucose to be used for energy, in some people the cells become resistant to insulin which leads to impaired glucose regulation
This impaired glucose regulation can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Birth weight
Babies born with a low birth weight are more likely to suffer a range of health conditions during infancy and have been linked to increased health concerns later in life.
Low birth weight = under 2.5kg
Low birth weight = underdeveloped immune systems (suffer infections), premature death, speech and learning liabilities, in adulthood: high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, CVD
Genetics
Some conditions are carried in either male or female genes (e.g. prostate cancer in males and cervical cancer in females).
High levels of testosterone in males has been linked to increased risk taking behaviours which can contribute to higher rates of injury and premature death in males than females
Males are more likely to store body weight around their abdomen which increases risk of CVD, compared to women who tend to store more weight on their hips and thighs.
Some people are more likely to suffer particular conditions due to a genetic predisposition or family history e.g. some types of cancers, obesity, depression, diabetes, CVD.
Access to healthcare
From a sociocultural perspective, there are a number of factors that may influence or restrict the likelihood of someone accessing healthcare.
Cultural barriers, such as language barriers, religious beliefs and understanding Western medicine for example can mean some population groups are less likely to access healthcare than other groups, e.g. Indigenous Australians.
Financial barriers can also restrict peoples ability to access some types of healthcare including private health insurance and dental care.
Lack of access to healthcare: premature death, treatable conditions go undiagnosed, higher mortality from treatable conditions.
Food security
Food security refers to the state in which all people can obtain nutritionally adequate, culturally appropriate, safe food regularly through local non-emergency sources.
From a socio-cultural perspective, food insecurity occurs when people are unable to access adequate food sources due to factors such as low income and lack of knowledge (health literacy).
Low incomes may mean people are reliant on cheaper, processed foods which tend to be high in salt, fat and sugar and contribute to diet-related diseases.
Lack of knowledge regarding the importance of consuming a healthy, balanced diet can mean people are more likely to consume processed, energy-dense foods, also contributing to diet-related disease.
Socioeconomic status
Income + Occupation + Education = Socioeconomic status
Income = increased access to nutritious food, health care, education, recreation
Occupation = (type of job) = exposure to manual labour, injuries, hazards for lower SES
Education = higher education increased health literacy, as well as higher paying jobs (income).
Social exclusion and social isolation
Social exclusion is the segregation that people experience if they are not adequately participating in the society in which they live. People with mental health issues, disability, poverty and homelessness are more likely to suffer social exclusion.
Social isolation refers to individuals who are not in regular contact with others. This is often a result of geographical barriers which limit peoples ability to interact with other people.
Social exclusion and isolation = mental health conditions, substance abuse, suicide and self harm and stress
Unemployment
Unemployment has a clear link to decreased health outcomes. Unemployment may be short or long term and the impacts on health can be varied.
Unemployment = increased stress and anxiety, suicide and self harm, CVD, mental health conditions
Early life experiences
The behaviours of pregnant mothers can have an impact on the future health of their unborn child. Maternal smoking, drug use and poor nutrition can impact health during infancy and throughout adulthood.
Maternal smoking, drug use and poor nutrition = low birth weight, higher risk of diabetes later in life, poorer immune system (more risk of infection), greater likelihood of death in childhood and higher risk of CVD later in life.
Cultural factors
Culturally, here are some common gender stereotypes which influence how males and females care for their health. Males tend to have the cultural pressure to uphold a ‘macho image’; this often results in them being less likely to access healthcare or acknowledge health issues.
Some Aussie stereotypes can impact heath negatively e.g. the ‘bronzed aussie’ stereotype has resulted in high rates of melanoma skin cancer. Alcohol consumption rates in Australia are high as it is seen as part of the Australian lifestyle; this can account for high rates of injuries, kidney disease and obesity related conditions.
Access to healthcare, as referenced earlier; due to cultural barriers, such as a language or understanding of Western medicine, some individuals may be less likely to access healthcare.
Biological factor examples (2)
- Glucose regulation
- Birth weight
Sociocultural factor examples (2)
- Access to healthcare
- Food security
Environmental factor examples
- Housing (poor)
- Work environment (poor)
Variations in health status- biological males/females 1
Males have higher rates of mortality than females due to things such as suicide, road trauma and violence
Variations in health status- biological males/females 2
Males suffer higher rates of cancer, females suffer from breast, cervical and ovarian cancer
Variations in health status- sociocultural males/females 1
Women are generally more likely to suffer from lower SES, especially single mothers
Variations in health status- sociocultural males/females 2
Men are more likely to participate in risk taking behaviour
Variations in health status- environmental males/females 1
Men are more likely to work in laborious jobs such as construction, mining and farming increasing chances of injury
Variations in health status- biological high/low SES 1
Low SES groups are more likely to smoke during pregnancy leading to having babies with a low birth weight
Variations in health status- biological high/low SES 2
Low SES groups are less likely to access healthcare
Variations in health status- sociocultural high/low SES
Low SES groups have lower levels of education and lower levels of food security
Variations in health status- environmental high/low SES 1
Low SES groups are more likely to live in overcrowded and unhealthy housing
Variations in health status- environmental high/low SES 2
low SES groups are more likely to live in dangerous areas with higher levels of pollution and greater concentration of fast food restaurants
Variations in health status- biological rural/major cities
Those living outside major cities are more likely to have a higher body weight
Variations in health status- sociocultural rural/major cities 1
Those living outside major cities are more likely to experience unemployment due to fewer job opportunities
Variations in health status- sociocultural rural/major cities 2
Those living outside major cities are at greater risk of social isolation due to distance from friends and family
Variations in health status- environmental rural/major cities 1
Those living outside major cities are in more dangerous occupations such as farming, mining and fishing which have an increased risk of injury
Variations in health status- environmental rural/major cities 2
Those living outside major cities have less access to healthcare due to limited services especially specialists and hospitals and longer travelling times
Variations in health status- indigenous populations 1
Are more likely to live in overcrowded housing, placing a strain on facilities leading to an increased risk of infections and mental health issues
Variations in health status- indigenous populations 2
Cultural barriers decrease the likelihood of many indigenous Australians accessing services, with many feeling western medicine is inappropriate and associate the hospital with death
Over-consumption of fat
Fat will be stored as adipose tissue, leading to weight gain, leading to obesity, obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure
Over-consumption of fat
Fat will be stored as adipose tissue, leading to weight gain, leading to obesity, obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure
Over-consumption of salt
Leads to the demineralisation of bones, as salt causes calcium to be excreted in the urine, leading to higher levels of morbidity from osteoporosis
Over-consumption of sugar
Leads to excess energy to be stored as adipose tissue, leading to weight gain, obesity, then type 2 diabetes
Smoking increases…
the risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma
High BMI
- a persons weight divided by their height
- if too high it can be an indicator for being overweight and therefore lead to developing type 2 diabetes
high consumption of alcohol
alcohol is energy dense, therefore when consumed in high amounts the excess energy is stored as adipose tissue, leading to weight gain, obesity then high blood pressure
under-consumption of fruit
reduces intake of fibre, increasing levels of cholesterol in the body and acts as a risk factor for high cholesterol
under-consumption of vegetables
reduces intake of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin c, folate and antioxidants, antioxidants reduce the impact of free radicals in the body, so underconsumption leads to free radicals in the body, causing cancer
low intake of fibre
fibre adds bulk to faeces and assists in keeping the digestive system clean, increased risk of colorectal cancer
under consumption of dairy foods
dairy is rich in calcium which is required to strengthen bones, the risk of osteoporosis and weakened bones
low intake of iron
iron forms the haem in haemoglobin, which carries part of the blood, can increase the risk of becoming anaemic
Diabetes
- Having too much glucose in the blood due to the body not being able to produce enough insulin
