better health for individuals 30%. students learn about: meanings of health perceptions of health...
TRANSCRIPT
Students learn about:• Meanings of health• Perceptions of health• Relative and dynamic nature of health
Inquiry What do we believe healthy is?1. Write your own definition of what health
means to you?2. Examine the following case studies and
rank their health as poor, fair, good, very good or excellent
Jason • 30 years old, married
with 2 kids• Heavy smoker since
16• Office worker• Only exercise is the
odd handyman job• Healthy weight• Spends little time
with his kids• Argues regularly with
his wife
Anthony• 48 years old• Computer consultant• Quit smoking 7 years
ago• Overweight• Enjoys food and wine
and socialises often• Works from home to
spend more time with his family
• Exercises regularly since changing jobs
Kathy• 40 years old with 3
children• Nurse who works 3
nights a week• Poor sleep habits• Good diet• Doesn’t smoke or drink
alcohol• Exercises sometimes on
weekends• Mainly drives her
children to their various interests
Jan• 26 years old• Very fit sport and
leisure officer• 1 hour each day spent
at the gym• Good diet avoiding
fatty foods• Prefers the gym over
social occasions• Lives alone, has few
friends and visits her family occasionally
Geoff• 50 years old• Recently diagnosed
with Type 2 diabetes• Has converted to a low
fat diet• Exercises moderately
for 30 minutes each day
• Has lost 10kg• Has support from
family and friends
Yohan• 32 years old• Paralysed 5 years ago
in motorcycle accident• Works 3 days a week
giving presentations on road safety
• Plays wheelchair basketball
• Socialises every weekend with friends
• Recently separated and only sees his children once a week
3. What are the common features from each case study that you consider to be healthy?
4. Compile a list of features that identify a person as healthy. Discuss
5. Consider rewording your original definition.
Accepted definitions of health have changed over time
Until the middle of the 20th century health was defined as ‘the absence of illness or disease’
What do you believe this definition means?What limitations does this concept have?
1946 World Health Organisation (WHO) definition – a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
What do you believe this definition means?What limitations does this concept have?
1986 WHO definition – a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources, as well as physical capabilities
What do you believe this definition means?What limitations does this concept have?
Investigate other definitions contained in dictionaries and on the internet.
Are they similar to the WHO definition? What limitations do they have?
Physical – the way in which the physical matter of the body functions
Social – the way people interact with others
Emotional – the way a person reacts to a stimulus within their life
Mental – allows an individual to maintain self-confidence, cope with stress and manage problems
Spiritual – takes on different meaning for different individuals
1. Provide 3 health-enhancing behaviours to develop each of the dimensions of health.
2. Considering these 5 dimensions what do you believe good health is?
3. Discuss how these 5 dimensions interact.
Relative health refers to a person’s health status in comparison to others or to another time and place
Example: A child with asthma enjoys a healthy, active life but experiences events that a non-asthmatic child might interpret as restrictive on health
Dynamic health refers to changes in health status that can occur at any time in a person’s lifetime.
These changes can be acute (minute to minute) or chronic (over a period of time)
Example: While you may be ‘healthy’ today, in 3 weeks time you may have the flu which would impact on your health status
The relativity and dynamic nature of health can be measured on a continuum.
A person will move along the continuum throughout their life
Therefore, health changes over timePremature
Death
High Level
Wellness
An individual’s health status can vary with a change in circumstances
A person’s health status is determined by both hereditary and environmental factors
Environmental factors provide the background for lifestyle and behaviour
The environment includes physical, socio-cultural, socio-political and socio-economic.
• Physical environment includes: - housing- living conditions - geographic location- urban v rural- peace- amenities- services, etc
How has your physical environment affected your health?
• Socio-cultural environment includes:- background- religion- race- community- family - friends- peers, etc
How has your socio-cultural environment affected your health?
• Socio-political environment includes:- government legislation and policies- political landscape (peace, etc)- governing model (democracy, etc)
How has the socio-political environment in Australia affected your health?
• Socio-economic environment includes:- employment- education- income- occupation (white collar, etc)
How has your socio-cultural environment affected your health?