Health 1000: Multi-dimensional Health and Behavior - Vocabulary Flashcards
Health 1000 Comprehensive Notes
WHO definition of health: health is not merely an absence of disease or infirmity but a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being.
Emphasizes that health goes beyond physical health and includes multiple dimensions.
The Six Dimensions of Health
Physical health
Functions of body systems, physical fitness, minimal exposure to physical harms (e.g., smoking, environmental pollution).
Social health
Well-being in interacting with others; broad social network; satisfying interpersonal relationships with friends, family, partners; ability to perform social roles effectively without harming others.
Intellectual health
Ability to think clearly, reason objectively, analyze critically; open mind to new ideas; seek new experiences and challenges.
Emotional health
Recognizing and accepting a variety of feelings; understanding emotions and coping with everyday problems; expressing emotions appropriately and controlling them when inappropriate; includes self-esteem, self-confidence, love, and other emotional reactions.
Spiritual health
Balance inner needs with external demands; envision meaning and purpose in life.
Environmental health
Appreciation of one’s role in preserving, protecting, and improving environmental conditions; protecting oneself from environmental hazards.
Conclusion: health status is multi-dimensional (not one-dimensional); a person is not simply sick or healthy.
Health Status on a Continuum
Health is on a continuum; to reach higher wellness, move to higher levels on the continuum for each dimension.
It is possible to move toward illness (symptoms, chronic disease, irreversible disability, or death) as wellness declines.
Ultimate goal: wellness – a dynamic, ever-changing process of trying to reach potential in each of the six dimensions, based on individual strengths and limitations.
Focus of the course (Health 1,000): make a difference here and now; personal impact on lives and others.
Historical note: what is considered good health has changed over time.
Early 20th century: not sick was considered healthy; life expectancy was about half of today; deadly infectious diseases killed millions (influenza, TB, pneumonia).
Infectious diseases: defined as caused by pathogens (organisms such as viruses or bacteria) and communicable meaning they can spread.
Infectious and chronic disease trends (leading causes of death):
1900 and 1920: infectious diseases accounted for a large percentage of deaths (illustrated by dark blue and yellow lines in the graph).
Around 1940: infectious disease deaths declined relative to chronic diseases; chronic degenerative diseases became the leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer, stroke).
Note: a later exception in the discussion mentions coronavirus as a leading cause during a deadly pandemic; the course plans to discuss infectious disease in depth later.
What are chronic degenerative diseases?
Chronic: long-lasting, not usually cured; degenerative: disease worsens over time.
Important distinction: infectious diseases have identifiable pathogens; chronic diseases typically have no single definitive cause.
Risk factors (often lifestyle-related) contribute to chronic diseases and are modifiable.
Role of behavior and risk factors
Although heart disease, cancer, and stroke are major killers, certain behaviors significantly increase risk (e.g., smoking).
Example: over 4\times10^5 deaths per year attributed to smoking behavior (expressed as a large statistic).
Health promotion in Health 1,000 focuses on identifying and modifying risky behaviors.
Wellness and lifestyle choices
Wellness involves making informed, responsible decisions about behaviors that enhance or damage health.
Wellness = optimal health and vitality.
Antibiotics and vaccines were historically the “magic bullet” cures for infectious diseases; today, healthy lifestyle choices are the closest thing to a modern magic bullet against chronic disease.
Life expectancy has risen substantially, but poor health can still limit the last 17\% of life; the goal is to live healthier longer.
Small changes can have a meaningful impact; big changes are difficult, but progress can be incremental and sustainable.
A list of wellness behaviors is provided (pause the video to review); the course will introduce more changes as the semester progresses.
Behavior change and support systems
To start and sustain a health behavior change program, you need:
Commitment
A well-developed plan
Social support
A system of rewards
Health 1,000 aims to empower students with these tools to adopt new lifestyles and improve life quality.
Students may influence others positively by modeling and sharing progress; teaching and learning roles in the class are encouraged as part of transformational leadership.
Transformational leadership in Health 1,000
When students see themselves as both learners and teachers, they take responsibility for their own learning; this is called transformational leadership.
There are 10 qualities of transformational leadership: 5 group qualities and 5 individual qualities.
Group transformational leadership qualities
1) Collaboration: working together respectfully; empowers individuals, builds trust, leverages diverse talents; we are stronger together.
2) Shared purpose: aligns group goals with fundamental aims; e.g., empowering each other to improve health and others' health.
3) Disagreement with respect: differences are inevitable and desirable; disagreements must be civil, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
4) Vision of leadership (as described as "vision of labor" in the transcript): participants are clear about their own responsibilities and those of others; roles and duties are defined.
5) Accountability: everyone is held responsible so goals are met; accountability supports performance.Outcome: a collaborative learning environment where group members learn about themselves and each other and acquire shared knowledge, interpersonal competencies, and technical skills required to function effectively.
Individual transformational leadership qualities
1) Self-knowledge: awareness of beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions driving change; understanding personal strengths and limitations.
2) Authenticity: being true to who you are and where you are on your journey; genuine pursuit of change.
3) Change and commitment: willingness to change and to stay with the process through ups and downs; persistence.
4) Empathy: ability to feel with someone else; improves communication skills, especially listening.
5) Competence: knowledge, skill, and technical capability required for successful transformation; by the end of the course, you should build competence in the covered topics.Social determinants of health (SDOH)
Some individuals face more barriers due to social, economic, educational, and environmental factors; these determinants affect health outcomes and access to resources.
CDC definition of SDOH: conditions in the environment where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health, functioning, and quality of life outcomes and risks.
The interplay of factors:
Individual behavior contributes about 40\% to health and well-being.
Genetics contributes about 30\%.
Healthcare access contributes about 10\%.
Social and environmental factors contribute about 20\%.
Structural factors such as poverty and racism can stack against some groups, exacerbating health disparities.
Course philosophy and goals
Health 1,000 is a personal journey toward self-discovery where small, sustainable changes accumulate to produce meaningful health improvements.
The direction toward wellness is more important than the speed of progress; progress, even if small, is valuable.
Lessons, self-assessments, assignments, in-class lectures, activities, and peer interactions are designed to help you learn about yourself and how your choices affect health and well-being.
Instructors see themselves as guides on your journey and are honored to support your learning.
Connections to foundational principles and real-world relevance
The six-dimension model aligns with holistic approaches to health and well-being used in public health, psychology, and social sciences.
The continuum concept mirrors wellness-based public health strategies that aim to move populations toward higher levels of well-being rather than simply preventing illness.
Transformational leadership concepts tie personal health changes to broader social impact, highlighting how individual actions can influence communities.
Ethical, philosophical, and practical implications
Emphasizes equity considerations via social determinants of health; acknowledges that some groups face structural barriers to health.
Encourages personal responsibility while recognizing the limits imposed by environment, economics, and policy.
Promotes collaborative learning, mutual respect, and accountability as ethical foundations for group work and health promotion.
Key numerical references and formulas
Infectious disease deaths historically high in early 1900s; around 1940 chronic degenerative diseases became leading causes (heart disease, cancer, stroke).
Deaths attributed to smoking: 4\times 10^5 per year.
Behavioral influence on health: 40\%; genetics: 30\%; healthcare access: 10\%; social/environmental factors: 20\%.
Life expectancy increase over the century; last portion of life health impact: 17\% of life may be affected by poor health.
Wellness vs. illness thresholds and the concept of moving along a continuum are tied to these percentages and the qualitative ideas described above.
Summary takeaways
Health is multi-dimensional and dynamic, not simply the absence of disease.
The six dimensions interact to shape overall well-being and quality of life.
Chronic diseases are largely influenced by modifiable risk factors; lifestyle changes can meaningfully improve health outcomes.
Wellness requires consistent, sometimes incremental changes, supported by planning, social support, and positive reinforcement.
Transformational leadership in Health 1,000 integrates personal growth with collective learning and community impact.
Social determinants of health create unequal starting points; understanding these factors is essential for equitable health promotion.
Final encouragement
The course invites you to embrace small, sustainable changes and to support others in their health journeys, with the aim of leaving the course better prepared to enhance your own health and the health of those around you.