UNIT4 aos1 PT2 - comparing health status and human development across countries (sustainability and global trends)

sustainability

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

sustainability - economic

ensuring that average incomes in all countries are adequate to sustain a decent standard of living and continue to rise in line with inflation and living costs in the future

factors that promote economic sustainability:

• job creation

• trade

• innovation and diversity of industries

• economic growth

economic sustainability - job creation

the process of creating new employment opportunities. Job creation contributes to economic sustainability as people can earn a wage and contribute to the economy of their country, allowing governments to collect tax

how it can promote health:

• job creation now and into the future means more people can obtain employment. This means that people can develop skills, such as problem solving and IT skills, which can promote self-esteem and confidence, in addition to logical reasoning and thinking skills (mental hwb)

how it can promote human development:

• job creation now and into the future means more people can obtain employment. This means they are more likely to earn an income to afford a decent standard of living, such as food and shelter, thereby promoting human development.

economic sustainability - economic growth

relates to an increase in the amount of goods and services produced by a country over time. This is often related to increases in GNI per capita in countries over time.

how it can promote health:

• economic growth that can be maintained into the future can contribute to increased tax revenue collected by governments, allowing them to invest in building more health facilities such as hospitals. This can help reduce illness and disease and increase self-assessed health status.

how it can promote human development:

• economic growth that can be maintained into the future can contribute to increased tax revenue collected by governments, allowing them to invest in building more education facilities such as schools. This can allow citizens to enhance their capabilities, such as literacy and numeracy skills, thereby promoting human development.

economic sustainability - trade

relates to the buying, selling, or exchanging of goods and services between countries.

how it can promote health:

• increases in trade means that there is likely to be increases in employment opportunities now and into the future for people to produce the good and services needed to trade. This may lead to more people engaging in something that gives their life purpose and meaning via their work (spiritual hwb)

how it can promote human development:

• increases in trade means that there is likely to be increases in employment opportunities now and into the future for people to produce the good and services needed to trade. This means people can participate in the life of their community via work and increase control over decisions that affect their lives via earning an income.

sustainability - social

creating an equitable society where all people can access social resources, both now and into the future.

factors that promote social sustainability:

• peace and security

• provision of social protection systems

• gender equality

• access to safe and decent working conditions

• promotion of political and legal rights

social sustainability - provision of social protection systems

programs and initiatives set up by governments to support people in times of need.

how it can promote health:

• access to social protection systems that are maintained over time means people who may not be able to work because of a disability can receive an income to meet day to day needs. This can reduce the stress and anxiety that may be associated with paying for these items (mental health and wellbeing).

how it can promote human development:

• access to social protection systems that are maintained over time means people who may not be able to work because of a disability can receive an income so they can afford a decent standard of living, such as as food and shelter, thereby promoting human development.

social sustainability - peace and security

relates to people living free from violence, fear, and conflict, and where safety, rights, and wellbeing are protected

how it can promote health:

• peace and security now and into the future means children are likely to be safe enough to attend school. This means they are less likely to be injured or killed from conflict while going to and from or being at school, reducing morbidity and mortality rates

how it can promote human development:

• peace and security now and into the future means adults are likely to feel safe enough to participate in decisions that affect their lives, such as through political protests. freedom of speech and sharing opinions, thereby promoting human development

social sustainability - gender equality

relates to all people, regardless of their gender, having the same rights, opportunities, and treatment in every part of life

how it can promote health:

• ensuring gender equality is promoted for future generations can ensure girls have equal access to school as boys. This can ensure both girls and boys can learn how to bounce back from challenges and improve their resilience (emotional hwb)

how it can promote human development:

• ensuring gender equality is promoted for future generations can ensure both women and men have equal access to healthcare when they are unwell, helping them to live long and healthy lives, thereby promoting human development

sustainability - environmental

ensuring the natural environment is used in a way that will preserve resources into the future

factors that promote environmental sustainability:

• sustainable use of natural resources

• safe waste removal and reducing pollution

• addressing climate change

• maintaining biodiversity

environmental sustainability - sustainable use of natural resources

refers to the use of renewable and non-renewable resources in a manner that limits damage to the environment.

how it can promote health:

• the sustainable use of resources now and into the future, such as clean water, ensures that people can drink this water without contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera, reducing the prevalence of this condition

how it can promote human development:

• the sustainable use of resources now and into the future, such as timber, allows this resource to act as an ongoing source of shelter. This allows people to have access to a decent standard of living, thereby promoting human development

environmental sustainability - safe waste removal and reducing pollution

refers to minimising waste and reducing the impact that waste produced has on the environment, and limiting pollution in all forms

how it can promote health:

• reducing air pollution on an ongoing basis by reducing the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, can decrease the likelihood people will develop respiratory health conditions from the fumes, such as asthma, promoting the functioning of the body and systems (physical hwb)

how it can promote human development:

• safe waste removal, such as the provision on flushing toilets on an ongoing basis, can encourage females to attend school, even when they are menstruating. This can then allow them to enhance their capabilities, such as develop their literacy and numeracy skills, thereby promoting human development

environmental sustainability - maintaining biodiversity

the variety of forms of life on our planet, including plants, animals and microorganisms

how it can promote health:

• maintaining biodiversity now and into the future ensures that fish stocks in the ocean are not depleted. This means people can still fish for a source of food, allowing them to have energy to complete daily activities (physical hwb)

how it can promote human development:

• maintaining biodiversity now and into the future ensures that plants are available as potential sources of medicine, helping to allow people to live long and healthy lives, thereby promoting human development

relationships between the three dimensions of sustainability

the three dimensions of sustainability are related, which means they impact each other

because they are related, failure to consider one dimension will affect the others, for example:

• a country might have a high income due to the oil reserves they are mining. However, oil reserves deplete (reduced environmental sustainability), so this source of income will shrink in the future (reduced economic sustainability). Reduced income could lead to fewer economic resources available

global trends

global trends are large-scale patterns or movements that are happening across the world

examples of these trends include:

• climate change

• conflict

• mass migration

• increased world trade

• tourism

• digital technologies

climate change

climate change refers to long term adjustments in global temperatures and weather patterns

impacts of climate change:

• rising sea levels

• changing weather patterns

• increasing number of extreme weather events

climate change– rising sea levels

implications for health: rising sea levels may contribute to the need to relocate people living close to the sea. This may increase stress and anxiety and be negative for mental health and wellbeing.

implications for human development: rising sea levels may contribute to the need to relocate people living close to the sea. This may mean people are unable to remain and contribute to the life of their community, reducing human development

climate change– changing weather patterns

implications for health: more frequent heatwaves may result in people, particularly the elderly, experiencing heat stroke and premature death, reducing life expectancy

implications for human development: more frequent rainfall may contribute to some areas experiencing landslides that may block roads and damage infrastructure. This may contribute to injuries and make it difficult for people to access healthcare when required, which may reduce the ability of people to live long and healthy lives, thereby reducing human development

climate change– increasing number of extreme weather events

implications for health: extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, fires and storms, may damage the environment and lead to less opportunities for people to engage with nature. This may reduce spiritual health and wellbeing if people are unable to connect with something greater than themselves and feel at peace with the world

implications for human development: extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, fires and storms may, damage infrastructure such as schools, preventing children from attending. This means they are less able to have access to knowledge, such as what contributes to climate change, thereby reducing levels of human development

floods, extreme rainfall

• can contribute to carrying water-borne diseases

• will affect food production

• contaminates water stores; which means it becomes unsuitable for drinking

• contributes to drownings and injury

extreme temperatures

• mosquitoes like warm humid conditions > increase in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

• can kill people (heat stroke + dehydration)

• pollen levels increase in high heat; triggering asthma → BOD

• change food crop production (eg, sugarcane and maize grow poorly in hot temperatures). Pest plaques.

conflict

relates to civil or international war that results in violent interactions between groups

potential impacts of conflict:

• damaged infrastructure

• funding diverted from healthcare and education to defence

• absence from employment and education to participate in defence of a nation

• large numbers of people are displaced

conflict - implications

implications for health: conflict can lead to friends and loved ones being injured or killed, which may cause significant amounts of sadness and grief. The stress and worry from such events may contribute to an increase in the prevalence of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression

implications for human development: conflict can lead to the destruction of healthcare facilities such as hospitals. This may lead to reduced access for citizens when they are injured or unwell, reducing their ability to lead long and healthy lives, thereby reducing human development

mass imigration

the movement of large groups of people from one geographical area to another in response to a crisis (other reasons for mass migration can include climate change and the violation of human rights)

mass migration can result in:

• refuges

• asylum seekers

• stateless people

• internally displaced people

mass immigration - implications

implications for health: mass migration often means people are travelling long distances in close proximity to one another. This can lead to the increased spread of infectious diseases such as influenza, increasing the YLDs and burden of disease for this condition.

implications for human development: mass migration means children may move to another region or country. This may reduce their ability to attend school and have access to knowledge, such as the risks of smoking, thereby reducing their human development

world trade

refers to the exchange of goods and services across international borders

world trade has contributed to global marketing of:

• tobacco

• e-cigarettes

• processed foods

increased world trade - tobacco and e-cigarettes

implications for health:

implications for human development:

increased world trade - processed foods

implications for health:

implications for human development: