health and wellbeing as a resource

• Discuss ways that optimal health and wellbeing can act as a resource:individually

  optimal health and wellbeing increases the ability of individuals to live free from pain and concentrate on activities that improve their lives, such as studying, working and socialising.
• Identify the nine prerequisites for health according to the World Health Organization

  Peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice, equity
• define: peace

  An absence of conflict which leads to happiness and harmony
• define: shelter

  Shelter describes a structure that protects the outside environment.
• Explain how peace may promote two dimensions of health and wellbeing

  - Peace means that individuals are at a reduced risk of physical injury that can be caused by conflict (physical health and wellbeing).- Peace can reduce levels of stress, enhancing mental health and wellbeing.- People can leave their homes to socialise, which improves social health and wellbeing.- People can go about their daily activities, which can promote a sense of purpose in life that enhances spiritual health and wellbeing.- People experiencing peace can focus on their day-to-day lives, which may assist them in building resilience and therefore enhance emotional health and wellbeing.
• define: ecosystem

  a community that consists of all the living and non-living components of a particular area. For example the Great Barrier Reef.
• Define sustainability

  Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• define: social justice


  Social justice relates to equal rights for all, regardless of personal traits such as sex, class and income, ethnicity, religion, age or sexual orientation. An example is allowing same sex marriage.
• define: equity

  Equity relates to fairness and means that there are minimum levels of income and resources to which all people should have access. An example of equity is low socioeconomic groups receiving income support.
• Explain what is meant by a stable ecosystem and discuss why stable ecosystems are important for human life.

  A stable ecosystem means that there is balance between the environment and the species that live in the environment, including humans. It means that resources such as food and water are available for human use and can regenerate as quickly as they are used. A stable ecosystem is important for human life because it provides essential resources for humans to live such as food and water. When an ecosystem is unbalanced, resources are used faster than they can regenerate, which can have significant impacts on human health and wellbeing.
• Explain how a stable ecosystem may promote three dimensions of health and wellbeing.

  A stable ecosystem can provide:food— which assists body systems in functioning adequately (physical)settings for relaxation— which can promote feelings of peace and harmony (spiritual)places for recreation— which can enhance social health and wellbeing if the individual participates with others (social)clean air and water— which can reduce the risk of respiratory conditions (physical)essential resources— which can reduce levels of stress and anxiety (mental).
• to achieve optimal health and wellbeing

  an individual or group must be able to identify and to realise aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment
• importance of health and wellbeing as a resource individually

  • prevent illness
  • prevent premature death
  • increased ability to work productively
  • gain education
• importance of health and wellbeing a resource nationally

  • economic: higher income, greater productivity
  • social: improved life expectancy, less strain on health system
• importance of health and wellbeing as a resource globally

  • reduce risk of disease transmission
  • promotes peace
  • promotes social development
  • promotes economic development
  • promotes sustainable development
  • creates opportunities for children to go to school
• why is equity a prerequisite for health at an individual level?

  Equity is a prerequisite for health individually because it allows individuals to attend school or work, by giving more resources to those who need it, such as paying for low-income students to buy textbooks, and allows them to participate in their community.
• why is equity a prerequisite for health at a global level?

  Equity is a prerequisite for health globally because it allows for trade between countries. This is because providing resources to low-income countries allows those countries to participate in trade, which can promote health through global economic growth, because countries can develop their health care resources.