HHD UNIT 3 - notes PDF

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VCE HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT NOTES UNIT THREE: AUSTRALIA’S HEALTH IN A GLOBALISED WORLD This unit looks at health, wellbeing and illness as multidimensional, dynamic and subject to different interpretations and contexts. Students begin to explore health and wellbeing as a global concept and to take a broader approach to inquiry. As they consider the benefits of optimal health and wellbeing and its importance as an individual and a collective resource, their thinking extends to health as a universal right. Students look at the fundamental conditions required for health improvement, as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). They use this knowledge as background to their analysis and evaluation of variations in the health status of Australians. Area of Study 2 focuses on health promotion and improvements in population health over time. Students look at various public health approaches and the interdependence of different models as they research health improvements and evaluate successful programs. While the emphasis is on the Australian health system, the progression of change in public health approaches should be seen within a global context. AREA OF STUDY ONE: UNDERSTANDING HEALTH AND WELLBEING

This area of study explores health and wellbeing and illness as complex, dynamic and subjective concepts. While the major focus is on the health of Australians, this area of study also emphasises that Australia’s health is not isolated from the rest of the world. Students inquire into the WHO’s prerequisites for health and wellbeing and reflect on both the universality of public health goals and the increasing influence of global conditions on Australians. Students develop their understanding of the indicators used to measure and evaluate health status, and the factors that contribute to variations between population groups in Australia. AREA OF STUDY TWO: PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLBEING

This area of study looks at different approaches to public health over time, with an emphasis on changes and strategies that have succeeded in improving health and wellbeing. Students examine the progression of public health in Australia since 1900, noting global changes and influences such as the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and the general transition of focus from the health and wellbeing of individuals to that of populations. Students investigate the Australian health system and its role in promoting health and wellbeing. They conduct a detailed study on a successful health promotion campaign or program, and inquire into priorities for health improvements in Australia.

TOPIC ONE: CONCEPTS OF HEALTH & WELLBEING        

KEY KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS: concepts of health and wellbeing (including physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions) and illness, and the dynamic and subjective nature of these concepts benefits of optimal health and wellbeing and its importance as a resource individually, nationally and globally prerequisites for health as determined by the WHO including peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable eco-system, sustainable resources, social justice and equity explain the dynamic and subjective nature of the concepts of health and wellbeing and illness describe interrelationships between dimensions of health and wellbeing explain the individual and collective importance of health and wellbeing as a resource describe global benefits of the pursuit of optimal health and wellbeing identify the WHO’s prerequisites for health and explain their links to improved health outcomes

Concept of health and wellbeing:

Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO 1946)  Health is “a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities”  Wellbeing is a state of being healthy, happy and contended usually determined through self-assessment  Health and wellbeing relates to the state a person’s physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual existence and is characterised by an equilibrium in which individuals feels happy, healthy and capable and engaged Concepts of illness: Illness:  The state of feeling unwell. It is a concept that relates to negative aspects of health and wellbeing  Just as wellbeing relates to how an individual feel about their health, illness relates to how a person feels about, and experiences disease Disease:  AIHW (2014) ‘a disease is a physical or mental disturbance involving symptoms, dysfunction or tissue damage, while illness is a more subjective concept related to personal experience of a disease’  Illness and disease are closely related but not the same thing Dynamic nature of health and wellbeing:  Health and wellbeing is constantly (continually) changing  Continually changing in response to the environment and experiences  Change can be rapid and intense, with little notice given (e.g. injury)  However, for the most part, a person’s state of health changes slowly (e.g. physical inactivity) Subjective nature of health and wellbeing:  Health is influenced or based on personal beliefs, feelings or opinions  Health and wellbeing means different things for different people Physical dimensions of health and wellbeing:  Relates to the functioning of the body and its systems; it includes the physical capacity to perform daily activities and tasks  E.g. being healthy weight for height, strong immune system to resist disease, being physically fit, being free from; illness, injury or disease Social dimensions of health and wellbeing:  Refers to being able to interact and develop relationships in a meaningful way and participating in the community in a way that adapts or manages different social situations appropriately  E.g. being an active family member, having meaningful relationships, communicating effectively to others Mental dimensions of health and wellbeing:  Relates to the state of a person's mind or brain and relates to the ability to think and process information. Optimal mental health and wellbeing enables individuals to positively form opinions, make decisions and use logic  E.g. good levels of self-esteem, using adequate coping mechanisms for stress, high levels of confidence Emotional dimensions of health and wellbeing:  The ability to recognise, understand and effectively manage emotions and use this knowledge when thinking, feeling or acting  E.g. possessing feelings of accomplishment, feeling in control of thoughts and feelings, recognising emotions, high level of resilience 

Spiritual dimensions of health and wellbeing:

A positive sense of belonging, meaning and purpose in life. It includes values and beliefs that influence the way people live, and can be influenced by an individual’s connection to themselves, others, nature and beyond  A highly individualised concept that can be measured by the amount of peace and harmony and individual experiences in their day-to-day life  E.g. sense of belonging, seeking peace and harmony, positive meaning and purpose Interrelationships between the dimensions of health:  Optimal health and wellbeing- refers to the highest level of health and wellbeing an individual can realistically attain  The overalls state of a person’s health and wellbeing is dependent on the interactions between the five dimensions- each dimension influences the others 

Health and wellbeing as a resource:  Health (and wellbeing) is seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living Importance of health and wellbeing-individually: Benefits of optimal health and wellbeing to Enabling individuals to the individual  Increasing their life expectancy  Work productively  Increasing their self-esteem and  Gain an education feelings of a sense of fulfilment  Earn an income  Reducing medical costs due to  Live independently in older age illness, allowing individuals to  Engage with the community maximise income as a resource  Have a sense of fulfilment and  Reducing pain and suffering success in life associated with chronic conditions (e.g. cancer) Importance of health and wellbeing nationally: Social benefits of optimal health and Economic benefits of optimal health and wellbeing to a country: wellbeing to a country:  Reduced stress and anxiety in a  Higher average incomes. Leading to community increased tax revenue  Increased social participation  Increased national income  Increased life expectancy  Health system savings  Less reliance on the health system  Fewer people relying on social (e.g. shorter weighting lists) security  Financial savings could be used to  Increased productivity provide country-wide education,  Less absenteeism from work infrastructure such as transport and housing Importance of health and wellbeing-globally: Benefits of optimal health and wellbeing Which is important globally as: Reduce the risk of disease transmission With globalisation the potential for the between countries spread of disease is quite high Assists in promoting peace and security When populations are healthy they are likely to work creating an income which reduces the chance of conflict Promotes economic development Populations who are employed contribute to increased tax revenue and global trade Promotes social development Healthy children who are educated can pass on knowledge, skills and income to future generations Promotes sustainability Increased tax revenue received by the government can be re-invested in

sustainable energy and water Perquisites for health:  Prerequisites for health as determined by WHO: income, food, education, peace, a stable ecosystem, shelter, sustainable resources, equity and social justice  IF E PASSES Peace:  Peace is defined as the absence of conflict Possible health outcomes: Health outcomes of peace to an individual Health outcomes of peace to a country  Peace in a country means fewer  With reduction of conflict a person’s deaths and ill-health as a result of mental health will improve due to conflict less stress and anxiety  Peace promotes the preservation of  Ability of people to move freely infrastructure including roads, around their community and participate in daily activities (e.g. agriculture, water and electricity going to school) systems. Access to infrastructure allows people to socialise, participate in leisure activities  A peaceful country increases the capacity of governments to provide resources and services that promote health and wellbeing education, healthcare, social security, and infrastructure. Notably, access to food and water lowers disease Shelter:  Shelter describes a structure that provides protection from the outside environment Possible health outcomes include:  Adequate shelter can provide protection from extreme weather and assist in reducing levels of stress and anxiety as exposure to the weather is decreased  Protection from adverse weather can promote adequate sleep and protection from infectious disease Education: Possible health outcomes:  Education empowers individuals and increases their ability to earn an income, understand health promotion messages, exhibit healthy behaviours, and find meaning and purpose in life  Education is often a key requirement for obtaining meaningful and well-paid employment that promotes economic development and increases, the ability of individuals to afford resources such as food, shelter and healthcare  Access to education promotes literacy, and literate individuals are more likely to participate in health promoting behaviours Food:  Food security is the state in which all persons obtain nutritionally adequate, culturally appropriate, safe food regularly through local non-emergency services Possible health outcomes include:  Food security increases the ability of the individual to consume the required nutrients which is important for the functioning of the human body  Access to appropriate and nutritious food helps to provide adequate levels of energy. Adequate energy increases the capacity of children to attend school and learn  Adequate nutrition promotes optimal immune system function, preventing illness and promoting health and wellbeing Income:

From an individual perspective, income increases the ability to afford resources such as healthcare, recreation, transport and education  From a population perspective, income increases the capacity of governments to provide social services and resources such as public housing, education, and health care; social security, infrastructure; recreation facilities such as parks and gardens, and law and order Possible health outcomes: Health outcomes of income to an individual Health outcomes of income to a country  With an income, you can afford  With an income we can afford access to healthcare, thereby sustainable resources increasing physical health and  With an income we can afford social wellbeing security, thereby increasing social  With an income, you can afford an health and wellbeing education  With an income can afford  With an income, you can afford recreational facilities, thereby nutritious food people can exercise increasing physical health and wellbeing A stable ecosystem:  An ecosystem is a community that consists of all the living and non-living components of a particular area. A stable ecosystem occurs when balance is achieved between the environment and the species that live in an environment  Stability indicates that all living things are having their needs for food, water, shelter, and reproduction met without casing detrimental effects to the natural environment Possible health outcomes:  Plants and animals are made up of organic matter which is used for food  Plants and animals provide opportunities for employment such as the fishing and agricultural industries  Predictable weather patterns contribute to effective farming  Human shelter is often made from natural materials such as timber and stone Sustainable resources:  Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the current generation, without compromising the needs of the future generations.  Sustainable resources relate to ensuring that the resources used to promote health and wellbeing in the present and are available for the future generations, so they too can experience a good quality of life  Resources required for energy production, food and water supply, employment, housing and healthcare are examples of materials that must be sustained if current standards of health and wellbeing are to be maintained Health outcomes include:  Adequate heating and cooling can promote productivity at school and this in turn can promote emotions such as contentment, which enhances emotional health and wellbeing  Fisheries are another source of food and income for billions of people around the world. Fish populations are decreasing due to overfishing and habitat destruction. If this trend continues, food availability and income generation will be negatively impacted, reducing the ability of many people to achieve optimal health and wellbeing Social justice:  Social justice is equal rights for all, regardless of personal trait such as sex, class, income, ethnicity, religion, age or sexual orientation  When society is just, all people have the same access to resources and opportunities, including:  Formal education  Meaningful employment and fair pay  Adequate shelter 

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Social security Food and water Healthcare Recreation and leisure activities and community participation

Equity:  Equity is a concept that relates to fairness and social justice  Equity means that there are minimum level of income and resources that all people should have access to  All people in the community should have access to fundamental resources, and governments should implement laws and policies that ensure no person is disadvantaged in their ability to access such resources  Equity promotes health and wellbeing by ensuring access to  Education  Employment  Human rights  Resources such as healthcare

TOPIC TWO: MEASURING HEALTH STATUS 

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KEY KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS: indicators used to measure and understand health status: incidence, prevalence, morbidity, burden of disease, disability-adjusted life year (DALY), life expectancy, health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE), mortality (including maternal, infant and under 5) and self-assessed health status describe and apply indicators used to measure health status

Measuring health status of Australians: Health status:  ‘An individual’s or a population’s overall health, taking into account various aspects such as life expectancy, amount of disability and levels of disease and risk factors’ (AIHW, 2008)

Useful to look at statistics that allow judgements to be made about the health status of individuals, groups and populations  Useful to look at a range of health status indicators as a single measure is often limited with information about overall health status Self-assessed health status:  Self-assessed health status is a commonly used indicator of health status which reflects a person’s perception of his or her own health and wellbeing at a given point in time  Self-assessed health status data is often collected from population surveys and provides an indication of the overall level being experienced in relation to physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual health and wellbeing  Survey participants are asked to classify their health status according to one of five levels; excellent, very good, good, fair, poor Life expectancy:  Average lifespan  ‘An indication of how long a person can expect to live (based on current mortality rates), it is the number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age if death rates do not change Health-adjusted life expectancy:  A measure of burden of disease, based on life expectancy, but including an adjustment for time spent in poor health. It is the number of years spent in good health. Mortality:  The number of deaths in a population at any given time  Common and vital measure of a country’s health status Examining trends and patterns in mortality can help to:  Explain changes and differences in health status  Evaluate health strategies  Guide planning and policy making  The mortality rate is therefore the number of deaths, usually expressed per 1000 or 100,000 people in a 12-month period, from a specific cause or all causes Infant mortality rate:  Infant mortality rate is the rate of deaths of infants between birth and their first birthday, usually expressed per 1000 live births  Infant mortality rates are usually a strong indicator of a populations overall health status. Infant deaths are often preventable  Infant mortality rats are low in Australia compared to other countries. Infant mortality rates have decreased overt time for both males and females, and the difference between males and females have also narrowed 

Under 5 Mortality rate (U5MR):  The number of deaths of children under five years of age per 1000 live births  A reduction in infant mortality rates has seen then U5MR also consistently decrease over time in Australia Use of these rates  Associated with education, economic development and the availability of health services  Estimate the overall health an wellbeing of a population  Enables monitoring of specific childhood illnesses; access to food, clean water and healthcare; infectious diseases, gender discrimination; SES status Maternal mortality rates:  Maternal mortality is the death of woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of he duration at the site of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes

Morbidity:  Morbidity refers to ‘ill health in an individual and the level of ill health in a population or group’ Morbidity data includes levels of:  Disease  Illness  Disability  Injury Incidence and Prevalence:  Incidence is the number or rate of new cases of a condition during a given period of time  Prevale...