week 2 - gender, culture and age

Question 1

what is the difference between proximal and distil factors? what is the relationship between the two?

Answer 1

Proximal: factors that have a direct influence on health

• personalty, beliefs, motivation
  distil: factors that have a an infleunce on the indivisuals vulnerability to an event but does not DIRECTLY affect or predict the outcome of the event
• gender, SES, cultre, age,

Question 2

why is it important to understand these proximal and distil factors?

Answer 2

important to understand as we may be able to predict certain health behaviours and be able to explain health behaviours -> therefore we can implement appropriate prevention/intervention strategies for the individual

Question 3

what makes gender a distil factor? what is the difference between females and males? `

Answer 3

females and males have differences both genetically and psychologically
- every single women in world except afganistan outlive men

Question 4

men and women have different rates and causes of death why is this? Can these causes of death be properly explained by JUST biological or JUST psychological

Answer 4

1. men
   - more likely die from colon-rectum cancer: this is also influenced by behavioural factors and gender
   - more likely to die from suicide
2. women
   - more likely die from Alzheimers
   BOTH biological AND psychological MUST be considered

Question 5

how can biology explain the long gevity in women?

Answer 5

• women have hormones (estrogen) that act as protective factors to diseases/cancers
• most menopause is also a protective factor

Question 6

Why do females have longevity but higher morbidity rates than males?

Answer 6

• less likely to do exercise

- more stress with kids with full time job -> increases morbidity rate

Question 7

What are social/behaviour determinants (proximal) of health that explains males (distil gender) lower longevity?

Answer 7

males more likely to 
1. drink
2. smoke
3. take drugs 
4. be employed in strenuous activity 
5. engage in sexual acitivty 
this therefore shows that proximal factors mediate distil faactors

Question 8

What are social differences (proximal) in males and females of their food choices?

Answer 8

• women are more likley to be more concious of what they eat , they consume less
• salt
• fat/high cholesteral foods
• sugar
• women more likely to be inflienced by health campaigns

Question 9

Morality rate for children has reduced more than half in 1989 to 2006. Explain why.

Answer 9

• children wear seatbelts in cars -> less deaths

Question 10

Explain how proximal factors mediate the cause of death in childhood age (distil)

Answer 10

• psychological factors - children at this age do not have the knowledge/common sense to understand what is the sensible behaviour etc
  -» this TF leads to many injuries
  -

Question 11

Why is it important to consider the level of children understanding when it comes to health?

Answer 11

• Depending on the childs stage of development, they may or may not understand what is causing their sickness or understand what the doctor is talking about
• i.e. should adjust/tweak interventions to ensure children understands everything

Question 12

When people reach the adolescence stage, they are able to make logical decisions but their health status is still affected negatively. Why?

Answer 12

• adolescents still have the ability to make logical decisions but are more likely to engage in risky health behaviour
• -» excessive drinking
• -» drugs
• -» smoking

Question 13

Why are Adults more likely to practise healthier choices than adolescents even though both age groups have the same beliefs of the benefits of healthy behaviours?

Answer 13

• adults have already experienced the adolescent phase
• they are more conscious of the health effects of those behaviours -> i.e. increases perceived susceptibility
• adults see things that may be perceived appropriate to the adolescent as not appropriate

Question 14

Why are Adults more likely to practise healthier choices than adolescents even though both age groups have the same beliefs of the benefits of healthy behaviours?

Answer 14

Having optimism as a trait results in

Question 15

Why are Adults more likely to practise healthier choices than adolescents even though both age groups have the same beliefs of the benefits of healthy behaviours?

Answer 15

Having optimism as a trait results in engaging in positive health behaviours that result to good outcomes

• -> may be due to ALREADY engaged in bad health behaviours that leads to AVOIDING those health behaviours
• -> OR because they have NOT enagged in bad health behaviours -> optimistic views

Question 16

What physcosocial and behavioural proximal factors influence SES (distil) affecting health behaviour and outcomes?

Answer 16

• level of health literacy -> i.e. ability to read/comprehend food label packets
• education
• amount of money the individual has
• type of employment

Question 17

What is the main source of illness across the globe? Hint: “health and illness follow a social gradient”

Answer 17

• health more negativiley affected with worse social environments i.e. low socio economic status

Question 18

How is the health status of ABO + Torres different to non-indigenous Australians? How can this outcome be explained?

Answer 18

health status of ABO/torres WORSE than non-indigenous

• explained by
  1. life expectancy lower
  2. higher susceptibility to chronic diseases
  3. ABO/torres in remote areas: less access to healthcare services, food choices, inadequate facilities
  4. engage in risky health behaviours
• > excessive drinking
• > smoking
• > drugs

Question 19

How does geographical location influence health status?

Answer 19

• the lower the socio-economic status -> less access to healthcare services
  e. g. if living in remote area and you have kidney failure -> you have to relocate in order to get a dialysis

Question 20

what is culture?

Answer 20

culture is a group that holds symbols and meanings towards specific views and beliefs within everyday life

• gives meaning to both indivisual AND the population within the cultural group
• shapes peoples perception and beliefs

Question 21

are the health views in western cultures ALL the same? why or why not? give examples of populations within western countries

Answer 21

different populatons living in western countries (i.e. different western cultural groups) have different views
E.g. - spanish people living in germany - fate/detinity you have cancer
e.g. - spanish people living in spain -> believes social determinants affecting health

Question 22

How can cultural differences within Australian culture affect healthcare practises? Give an exmaple with the difficulty in healthcare services catering for the chinese cultural groups.

Answer 22

• different to implement as healthcare practises would need to ensure they are catering for different groups
• cannot just have ONE type of health care serice as each cultural groups will have differenet views/beliefs in treating illnesses
• e.g. chinese ppl believe that the result of their health status is from destiny/fate -> T.F screening tests which are implented in AUS healthcare service would not be appropriate/ difficult for chinese to accept

Question 23

What are the common health beliefs in ABO/Torres cultures?

Answer 23

• practices ABO/Torres health beliefs is that health status of indivisual is affected by spirits, land, kingship
• social and spiritual dysfunction causes illness

Question 24

are individuals who are in involved in religion or spiritual believers more likely to have a higher or lower health status? What are the reasons for this?

Answer 24

• more likely to have higher health status
  1. lower alcohol consumption
  2. lower drug use
  3. higher levels of PA
  4. lower smoking

Question 25

what is the definition for religion and spirituality?

Answer 25

1. Religion: organised group that holds specific views and beiefs
2. spiritulaity: sense of peace, connection and purpose with others and sense of meaning towards life

Question 26

How does higher religion influence affect health in a individual?

Answer 26

• more likely to have higher health status
  1. less likely drink
  2. eat certain foods/restrict others -> better diet
  3. less likely to smoke
  4. more likely to do PA