Better Health for Individuals

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Students learn about:• Meanings of health• Perceptions of health• Relative and dynamic nature of health

- Definitions of health- Dimensions 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?

HEALTH

Physical

Social

Spiritual

Emotional

Mental

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?

1. Provide an accurate definition of health.2. Explain how the dimensions of health

interact with one another.3. Discuss the concept of good health4. Contrast between the ‘relative’ nature

and the ‘dynamic’ nature of health.5. Discuss how your own ‘circumstances’

have affected your health.