What is Health
What is health?
Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
What is health status?
An individual’s or population’s overall health, considering factors like life expectancy, disability, and disease risk.
What are biological factors?
Factors relating to the body that impact health, such as genetics, body weight, and blood pressure.
What is the biomedical model of health?
A model focusing on the physical aspects of disease and illness, emphasizing diagnosis, treatment, and cure.
What is an SDG?
Sustainable Development Goals, a set of global goals to address various challenges facing the world.
What is wellbeing?
Wellbeing is a complex combination of all dimensions of health, characterized by an equilibrium in which the individual feels happy, healthy, capable, and engaged.
Identify 4 measures of health status.
Examples include mortality, incidence, prevalence, or health-adjusted life expectancy.
What are sociocultural factors?
Conditions relating to socioeconomic status, family and cultural influences, and access to healthcare that affect health.
Describe new public health.
An approach that considers how physical, sociocultural, and political environments impact health, moving beyond individual behaviour.
Name an objective of the SDGS
End extreme poverty or address climate change, end discrimination
Name the dimensions of health. And define 2 of them.
1. Physical, 2. Social, 3. Emotional, 4. Mental, 5. Spiritual.
Physical health relates to the functioning of the body and its systems, it includes the physical capacity to perform daily activities or tasks.
Social health relates to the state of a person’s interactions with others and includes the quality of relationships with family, friends and others in the community and the ability to manage or adapt appropriately to different social situations
Spiritual health relates to ideas, beliefs, values and ethics that arise in the minds and conscience of human beings.
Emotional health relates to the ability to express feelings in an appropriate way.
Mental health is the current state of well-being relating to the mind or brain and includes the ability to think and process information.
What is the burden of disease? How is it measured?
The burden of disease is a way of measuring the total impact of a health problem on a population, taking into account not only deaths but also the years people live with illness and disability. It quantifies the gap between a population's current health status and a hypothetical ideal situation where everyone lives to a maximum age in full health.
How It's Measured: Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)
The most common metric used to measure the burden of disease is the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY). One DALY represents one year of healthy life lost. It's a comprehensive measure because it combines two key components:
Years of Life Lost (YLL): This is the measure of fatal burden, representing the years of life lost due to premature death. It's calculated by multiplying the number of deaths from a specific cause by the standard life expectancy for the age at which the death occurred.
Years Lived with Disability (YLD): This is the measure of non-fatal burden, representing the years of healthy life lost due to living with a disease or injury. It's calculated by multiplying the number of new cases of a disease by a "disability weight" (a value from 0 to 1 that reflects the severity of the condition, where 0 is perfect health and 1 is death) and the average duration of the disease.
The DALY is the sum of these two components:
DALY=YLL+YLD
What are environmental factors? Choose 2 and describe how they influence health and wellbeing
environmental factors are understood as the physical surroundings in which individuals live, work, and spend their time. These factors can have a profound impact on health status.
Examples include:
Geographic location (e.g., rural vs. urban areas).
Housing and living conditions (e.g., quality, overcrowding, safety).
Work environment (e.g., exposure to hazards, UV radiation).
Urban design and infrastructure (e.g., access to roads, public transport, recreational facilities, footpaths).
Climate and climate change (e.g., extreme weather events, air pollution).
Access to resources (e.g., clean water, sanitation, nutritious food outlets).
What are the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter? Describe 2 of them
1. Build healthy public policy, 2. Create supportive environments, 3. Strengthen community actions, 4. Develop personal skills, 5. Reorient health services.
reate Supportive Environments
This action area recognizes the interconnectedness between people and their environment. It focuses on making it easier for people to make healthy choices by creating physical and social environments that support health. This goes beyond just the natural environment and includes homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. A supportive environment is one that is safe, stimulating, satisfying, and enjoyable.
For example, a government might implement policies to increase the number of public parks or create safe walking and cycling paths. In a workplace, this could mean providing standing desks or offering healthy food options in the cafeteria. The goal is to design our surroundings in a way that the healthy choice becomes the easiest choice.
Strengthen Community Action
This area is all about empowering communities to take control over their own health. It involves communities working together to set priorities, make decisions, and implement strategies to improve their collective health. This action area is based on the idea of community empowerment, where people have ownership and control over their own health endeavors.
An example of this is a community coming together to start a local farmers' market to increase access to fresh produce. Another example could be a neighborhood organizing a community-led health clinic to address a specific health issue, such as providing culturally appropriate health information for a migrant community. This approach ensures that health initiatives are relevant to the community's specific needs and that the community has a vested interest in their success.
How does SDG 2 relate to SDG 3?
SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) are deeply interconnected. Achieving one is dependent on progress in the other, as nutrition is a fundamental determinant of health.
Malnutrition and Disease: Malnutrition, which includes both undernutrition and overnutrition, is a key focus of SDG 2. Undernutrition weakens the immune system, making individuals, especially children, more susceptible to infectious diseases like malaria and pneumonia, which are addressed in SDG 3.
Health and Productivity: When people are healthy (SDG 3), they are more productive and better able to work in agriculture or other food-related sectors. This contributes to food security and helps achieve SDG 2. Conversely, a lack of nutritious food (SDG 2) can lead to health problems that reduce a person's ability to work, creating a cycle of poverty and poor health.
Maternal and Child Health: A specific target of SDG 2 is to end all forms of malnutrition, including stunting and wasting in children. This directly supports SDG 3's goal of ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under five, as malnutrition is a major cause of child mortality
Describe how health can be dynamic and subjective, using examples
Health is considered dynamic because a person's state of health is not fixed; it is a continually changing state that can fluctuate over time. For example, a person may be feeling perfectly well one day, but then feel ill the next day after catching a cold, demonstrating a short-term change in their health status.
Health is considered subjective because it is influenced by a person's individual opinions, feelings, and beliefs. What one person considers to be good health may be different for another. For instance, two people with the same chronic illness may have different subjective health statuses, as one might view their condition as a barrier to well-being while the other feels they can live a full and healthy life.
Explain how optimal health and wellbeing is a resource that is important at an individual, national, and global level. In your response, provide specific examples for each level.
Marking Guide
Individual level
Explanation : Describe how optimal health allows a person to participate in daily activities and live a fulfilling life.
Examples Provide specific examples such as being able to work or study, earn an income, exercise, and participate in social activities.
National level
Explanation : Describe how a healthy population contributes to a country's economic and social development.
Examples : Give specific examples like increased workforce participation, higher productivity, reduced healthcare costs for the government, and a stronger economy.
Global level
Explanation : Explain how health is interconnected across countries, and how improvements in one country's health can benefit others.
Provide examples such as a healthy workforce contributing to global trade, a reduced risk of infectious disease outbreaks spreading across borders, and the capacity for countries to provide aid and support to one another.
Using two different sociocultural factors, explain how they can contribute to variations in the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
4-Mark Sample Answer
Unemployment is a sociocultural factor that can significantly affect health status. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples often experience higher rates of unemployment compared to non-Indigenous Australians, which can lead to financial instability, poverty, and food insecurity. This makes it difficult to afford nutritious food, safe housing, and essential healthcare, contributing to higher rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and a lower life expectancy.
Another sociocultural factor is social exclusion, which refers to being segregated from society and feeling a sense of powerlessness. Due to the historical and ongoing impacts of colonisation, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities have faced discrimination, racism, and a loss of connection to culture. This can lead to a sense of dispossession and contribute to poor mental health, including higher rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm, which are reflected in higher DALY rates.
Compare 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of both Medicare and private health insurance in Australia
Advantages
Free or low-cost healthcare: Medicare provides Australian citizens and permanent residents with access to free or subsidised medical services. This includes free treatment as a public patient in a public hospital, and subsided costs for GP visits and some specialist consultations. This makes essential healthcare accessible to all, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Funded through taxation: Medicare is funded by the Australian government through general taxation and the Medicare levy. This means individuals don't have to pay a separate, annual premium, making it a system of universal access that is largely affordable for everyone.
Disadvantages
Limited choice of practitioner and hospital: As a public patient in a public hospital, you cannot choose your own doctor, specialist, or the hospital you are treated in. You are attended by the medical team on duty at the time.
Long waiting times for elective surgeries: Patients in the public system are prioritised based on clinical urgency. This can lead to very long waiting times for non-emergency or elective surgeries, such as knee or hip replacements, which can negatively impact a person's quality of life.
Private Health Insurance
Advantages
Choice of doctor and hospital: Private health insurance gives you the flexibility to choose your own doctor, specialist, and the private or public hospital you want to be treated in. This allows for continuity of care with a trusted medical professional.
Shorter waiting times: For elective procedures, private patients generally have much shorter waiting times than public patients. This allows individuals to receive timely treatment and recover more quickly, improving their health and wellbeing.
Disadvantages
High cost of premiums and out-of-pocket expenses: Private health insurance requires you to pay ongoing premiums, which can be expensive and increase annually. Many policies also have an excess or co-payment, which are out-of-pocket costs you must pay before your insurer covers a portion of the bill.
Waiting periods: When you take out a new policy, there are often waiting periods before you can claim benefits for certain treatments. This means you may have to wait anywhere from two to twelve months for hospital cover or extras like dental and optical before you can be covered for these services.
What are the priorities of Australia’s aid initiatives?
Pacific, Southeast Asia, climate action, humanitarian efforts, and expanding opportunities.
Describe one of the objectives of the work of the WHO and how it would contribute to Global Health
One of the primary objectives of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to promote universal health coverage (UHC). This means ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has access to quality health services without facing financial hardship
UHC is a cornerstone of global health because it addresses health disparities and strengthens health systems. The WHO works to achieve this by:
Providing technical support to countries: The WHO offers expert advice and guidance to governments on how to develop and implement national health policies and strategies. This includes helping countries create sustainable financing models for healthcare, improve the quality of services, and ensure an adequate supply of essential medicines and health products. For example, they assist with training health workers and establishing robust primary healthcare systems, which are key to making health services accessible to all.
Setting international health standards: The WHO establishes global norms and standards for healthcare, from clinical guidelines to the regulation of medicines and vaccines. By providing this evidence-based guidance, the WHO helps countries make informed decisions and ensure that their health services are safe and effective. This standardization helps build trust and coherence across global health initiatives.
Monitoring and data collection: The WHO collects and analyzes global health data to track progress toward UHC and identify areas that need more attention. This data helps governments, policymakers, and organizations understand where health inequities exist and directs resources to where they are most needed. By providing this crucial information, the WHO ensures that global health efforts are data-driven and impactful.
Using two different health status indicators, describe the overall health status of a population. Explain the limitations of using only one of these indicators to assess health. (5 marks)
Life expectancy: The number of years a person is expected to live if death rates do not change.
DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year): A measure of the burden of disease, with one DALY representing one year of healthy life lost due to premature death (YLL) and time lived with illness, disease, or injury (YLD).
Infant mortality rate: The number of deaths of infants before their first birthday, per 1,000 live births.
Mortality: The number of deaths in a population.
Morbidity: The level of ill-health in a population, which can be measured by incidence (new cases) or prevalence (total cases).
Provides a clear explanation of why using only one indicator is limited. For example:
Life expectancy only measures the quantity of life, not the quality. A population might have a high life expectancy but spend many of those years living with chronic illness or disability. This is why HALE (Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy) is a more comprehensive measure.
Mortality rates don't capture the impact of non-fatal diseases and injuries, which can place a significant burden on individuals and the healthcare system. Using DALYs alongside mortality data provides a more complete picture of a population's health.
With reference to a specific health issue (e.g., cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes), discuss how a biological factor and a sociocultural factor could interact to influence the health and wellbeing of an individual. (5 marks)
A specific health issue influenced by the interaction of factors is Type 2 diabetes.
A key biological factor is glucose regulation, which refers to the body's ability to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Impaired glucose regulation, often linked to high body mass index (BMI), means the body doesn't produce enough insulin or can't use it effectively. This is a direct biological cause of Type 2 diabetes.
A sociocultural factor that can influence this is food security, which is the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Individuals with low food security, often due to low socioeconomic status, may have to rely on cheap, energy-dense foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt. This poor diet can lead to a high BMI and impaired glucose regulation. Therefore, low food security (sociocultural) contributes to a high BMI (biological), which in turn increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This demonstrates how a sociocultural factor can directly influence a biological one to impact health and wellbeing.
Using a relevant example, compare and contrast the biomedical model and the social model of health in their approaches to improving health.
Of course, here is a sample answer for the 5-mark question on the models of health.
Sample Answer
The biomedical model of health focuses on the physical and biological aspects of disease and illness. It is a traditional approach that aims to cure or treat a person once they become sick, often through medical technology, medication, or surgery. The social model of health, in contrast, is a more holistic approach that aims to prevent illness by addressing the social, economic, and environmental factors that lead to it. It focuses on population-level prevention rather than individual treatment.
Consider the health issue of Type 2 diabetes.
The biomedical model would address this by focusing on treating the individual who has been diagnosed. This could involve prescribing medication to control blood sugar levels, using technology like insulin pumps, or even providing surgery to manage complications. The focus is on fixing the problem once it has occurred, for example, by treating a diabetic foot ulcer with surgery.
The social model of health would address the same issue at a population level by targeting the root causes. It would involve strategies like:
Health promotion campaigns to educate the public on the importance of a healthy diet and physical activity.
Creating supportive environments by increasing the availability of affordable, nutritious food in low-socioeconomic areas.
Implementing policies like taxes on sugary drinks to discourage their consumption. This approach aims to reduce the incidence of diabetes in the first place, rather than simply treating those who already have it.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) have noted that high rates of child mortality from preventable diseases, such as measles and pneumonia, are often linked to low rates of school attendance. With reference to the provided scenario, explain how achieving SDG 4: Quality Education is crucial for making progress on SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. (5 mark
Achieving SDG 4: Quality Education is crucial for making progress on SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being because education is a powerful determinant of health. SDG 3 aims to reduce preventable child mortality from diseases like measles and pneumonia. SDG 4, on the other hand, works to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
By achieving quality education (SDG 4), communities and individuals gain health literacy. This means they have the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health. For example, educated parents are more likely to understand the importance of immunisation and are therefore more likely to have their children vaccinated against preventable diseases. They are also better equipped to recognise symptoms of illness and seek timely medical care, as well as to understand and follow hygiene practices like handwashing.
This improved health literacy and informed decision-making directly contribute to a reduction in the spread of infectious diseases and better overall health outcomes for children. Thus, a more educated population (SDG 4) leads to fewer preventable deaths and better health for all (SDG 3), demonstrating how the SDGs are interconnected and mutually reinforcing.