Health Risks and Your Behavior

In this lesson, you will Learn About…

What risk behavior is.

What cumulative risk is.

How to avoid health risk behaviors.

Health Risks and Your Behavior

The Vocabulary terms in this lesson are:

Risk behaviors.

Consequences.

Cumulative risks.

Subjective.

Objective.

Prevention.

Abstinence.

Risk Behaviors

An important part of taking responsibility for your health is identifying and avoiding risk behaviors – actions or choices that may cause injury or harm to you or others.

Risk behaviors can lead you into taking unnecessary risks.

It is important to realize that your behavior can affect the health of others.

Consequences of Health Risk Behaviors

Risk behaviors may lead to a variety of consequences.

Physical

Financial

Legal

Mental/EmotionalAcademic Social

Encouraging News

Use safety belts

Do not currently use illicit drugs

Do not currently smoke

cigarettes

Have not used alcohol in the

previous month

Participate in vigorous physical activity

81% 91% 84%

69%

69%

Cumulative Risk

Cumulative risks are related risks that increase in effect with each added risk.

Riding a bicycle without a helmet, for example, is one risk factor. Riding on a busy street and in the rain greatly increases your chances of injury.

Knowing the Risks

Teens have different reasons for taking risks. The reasons represent subjective thinking.

When considering risks, it is much better to use objective information.

Objective information helps you act responsibly so that you can prevent injuries and illnesses.

Reducing and Avoiding Risks

An effective strategy to reduce risks or even avoid them entirely is to practice prevention.

Being on the lookout for hazards, or potential sources of danger, is an important part of prevention.

Another key element of prevention is abstinence. Abstaining from risk behaviors can help you avoid the serious consequences associated with them.

Shield Yourself from Risk

Keeping Yourself Healthy

Most injuries are caused by poor decision making. By acting responsibly and avoiding risk, you can prevent most injuries. By practicing good health habits, you can also prevent many illnesses.

Reviewing Terms and Facts

1. List six types of consequences that may result from risk behavior.

Physical consequences Mental/Emotional consequences Academic consequences Financial consequences Legal consequences Social consequences

Reviewing Terms and Facts

2. Define the term cumulative risks.

Cumulative risks are related risks that increase in effect with each added risk.

Thinking Critically

3. Suppose that you were going to spend a day on a boat. What precautions might you take to avoid risks?

Chapter Review

Reviewing Terms and Facts

1. How well you get along with others is a key part of your ______ health.social

Reviewing Terms and Facts

2. ______ are the various methods for communicating information.

Media

Reviewing Terms and Facts

3. Going canoeing without wearing a life jacket when the current is strong and with someone who has no experience is an example of ______________.cumulative risks

Thinking Critically

4. If your mental/emotional health improves, how might other aspects of your health be affected?

Thinking Critically

5. In your opinion, which factor is a greater influence on your health: heredity or environment? Why?

Thinking Critically

6. Imagine that you are getting to know a group of new friends. Tell how you would decide whether these friends were going to be a positive or negative influence on your health.

Vocabulary Review

Risk behaviors are actions or choices that may cause injury or harm to you or to others.

Vocabulary Review

Consequences are the results of actions.

Vocabulary Review

Cumulative risks are related risks that increase in effect with each added risk.

Vocabulary Review

Subjective means that the idea comes from a person’s own views and beliefs, not necessarily from facts.

Vocabulary Review

Objective information means the information is based on facts.

Vocabulary Review

Prevention means taking steps to make sure that something does not happen.

Vocabulary Review

Abstinence means not participating in unsafe behaviors or activities.