core 1: 2. what influences the health of individuals?

• Determinants of health - individual factors pt.1

  Knowledge (HEALTH LITERACY): know where to get health info on healthy food, physical activity levels, protective vs risk behaviours, etc --> if an individual lacks knowledge, they will most likely make poor health choices

  Skills: health literacy skills -- interpreting health info and applying it, research skills -- where to find accurate and reliable health info, practical skills -- decision-making
• Determinants of health - individual factors pt.2

  Attitudes: positive or negative, positive attitudes to health = more resilient to health ads and persevere through illness

  Genetics: predisposes individuals to certain illnesses or diseases (eg. CVD, type 1 diabetes), groups that share similar genes can be at similar risks (eg. fair skin = increase in skin cancer risk)
• Determinants of health - sociocultural factors pt.1

  stem from ideas, customs or behaviours of people or groups within society

  Family: positive -- they support beneficial health choices (eg. value physical activity and healthy eating), negative -- ignore behaviours that could improve health (eg. often buying fast food, drinking a lot of alcohol)

  Peers: positive -- encourages behaviour like sports and studying together, negative -- encourages skipping class or binge drinking
• Determinants of health - sociocultural factors pt.2

  Media: positive -- health promoting media (eg. campaigns on quitting smoking), negative -- unrealistic images and false ideals

  Religion: positive -- increase in sense of purpose and emotional support, negative -- restrictions on eating and interactions with opposite sex

  Culture: positive -- part of a collective = increase in social and spiritual health, negative -- favouring fast foods and using a lot antibiotic medications
• Determinants of health - socioeconomic factors pt.1

  related to how individual's economic and social situations interact

  Education: positive -- know at least the basics of good health with primary and secondary schooling PDHPE, being at school = increase in social health, negative -- developing nations don't have the opportunities for education and don't know healthy behaviours

  Employment: emotional and mental health -- depends if individual enjoys the job, physical health -- some workplaces have measures to prevent negatively impacting workers and may provide healthcare benefits
• Determinants of health - socioeconomic factors pt.2

  Income: good income -- increase in access to healthcare, physical activity opportunities and emotional and mental health, bad income/poverty -- decrease in access to healthcare or healthy food, increase in malnutrition and other diseases

  factors are interconnected -- decrease in education = decrease in chance of employment = decrease in income = decrease in overall health
• Determinants of health -- environmental factors

  Geographical location: cleanliness of air and water supply, weather conditions (eg. high UV rays increases skin cancer risk)

  Access to health services and technology: rural -- decrease in access to healthcare and technology compared to urban areas --> distance and statistically lower SES
• Modifiable health determinants

  Determinants that individuals have the ability to change or alter in order to improve their health
• Examples of modifiable health determinants

  Attitudes: prioritising health by regularly making healthy choices and finding time to dedicate to healthy behaviours

  Nutritional habits: choosing foods or food groups high in nutritional value

  Tobacco and alcohol consumption: reducing consumption levels

  Physical activity: regularly exercising at recommended intensity
• Non-modifiable health determinants

  Determinants that cannot be altered despite their potentially negative effect
• Examples of non-modifiable health determinants

  Age: elderly people are at higher risk of many illnesses and diseases eg. CVD and cancer

  Gender: higher risk for different health issues eg. females have higher risk of breast cancer

  Family history: genetic diseases are predisposed to some individuals eg. asthma and depression

  Cultural background: some groups have a higher risk of certain diseases eg. euro populations have higher risks of cystic fibrosis