Physical Factor

• Acute ill health

  • comes on quickly
  • usually short term (under 6 weeks)
  • can be cured
• Chronic ill health

  • comes on more gradually
  • long term illness (over 3 months)
  • generally can be treated to manage symptoms but not cured
• Examples of chronic ill health

  • asthma
  • diabetes
  • terminal cancer
• Asymptomatic


  only have minor or even no symptoms of the disease
• Different views and definitions of health

  1. body as a machine
  2. God's power
  3. living my best life
• view of health - body as a machine 


  everyone gets ill sometimes and body sometimes need fixing
• God's power


  health is seen as part of spirituality

  using 'impure' substances such as drinking, smoking and taking drugs are seen as unholy and immoral behaviours

  it is God's will to make someone to get ill
• living my best life

  living for today not caring for tomorrow

  spending all of their wages on binge drinking at the weekend

  smoking cigarettes & weed during the week
• 4 main physical factors that affect health and wellbeing

  1. Inherited conditions
  2. Physical ill health
  3. Mental ill health
  4. Physical ability
• Physical impact vocabulary

  • taking medication
  • physical impairment
  • racing heartbeat
  • exhausted / tired
  • insomnia
  • missing meals
  • physical panic attack
• Intellectual impact vocabulary

  • alert / productive
  • poor concentration
  • brain overload shutdown
  • poor / good memory
  • overactive imagination
  • preoccupied with thoughts
• Emotional impact vocabulary

  • self-worth
  • self-esteem
  • self-image
  • vulnerable
  • overwhelmed
  • intimidated / thrilled
  • determined
  • build resilience
• Social impact vocabulary

  • intimate close relationship
  • isolation
  • bully
  • discrimination
• Sickle cell disease

  • inherited disease
  • unusually shaped red blood cells
  • restricted blood flow
  • sticky blood leads to artery blockage
  • can cause pain and possible complications (stroke)
• Physical symptoms of sickle cell disease

  • painful episodes (sickle cell crises) that can be severe and last for days and weeks
  • an increased risk of serious infections
  • anaemia due to lack of oxygen delivered around the body
  • tiredness
  • shortness of breath
• Cystic fibrosis


  genetic disorder that damages the lungs, digestive tract (stomach and bowel) and other organs

  mucus is thick sticky phlegm
• Physical symptoms of cystic fibrosis

  • recurring chest infections
  • difficulty putting on weight
  • mild malnourishment
  • frequent phlegmy chesty coughs
  • diarrhoea
  • occasional wheezing
  • shortness of breath
• Genetic inheritance


  a term to explain how characteristics and health conditions are passed from one generation to the next
• Cascade testing


  when a person is diagnosed with mutated genes their family will also be checked
• Examples of inherited conditions

  • cystic fibrosis
  • sickle cell disease
• Examples of ill health

  • cardiovascular disease
  • type 2 diabetes
  • obesity
• Examples of mental ill health

  • stress
  • anxiety
• Cardiovascular disease is cause by the build up of fatty plaque blocking the coronary arteries