PH90 Chapter 1-4 Review Guide

Health in General

• Study processes of health and health-related topics include:

  • Identify the problem

  • Explore the components

  • Identify risk and modifiable factors

  • Address individual factors

  • Improve overall health

• Four common health conditions that can impede academic performance:

  • Chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, asthma)

  • Mental health issues (e.g., anxiety, depression)

  • Nutrition-related conditions (e.g., obesity)

  • Substance use disorders (e.g., alcohol, drugs)

• Health has both immediate and long-term effects on individuals.

• Popular models to frame health include:

  • The medical model

  • The holistic model

• Well-being is a spectrum that can be defined in various ways.

• Life Expectancy:

  • Definition: The average period that a person may expect to live.

  • Types of life expectancy include:

    • Overall life expectancy

    • Healthy life expectancy (years lived without serious illness)

  • Historical trends indicate an overall increase in life expectancy due to advancements in medicine and public health.

  • Implications include challenges to healthcare systems and changes in population dynamics.

• Importance of balance between health components:

  • Physical, mental, social, and spiritual aspects must be integrated.

Factors Associated with Individual Health

• Individual Behavior: Actions can support or detract from health (e.g., diet, exercise, smoking).

• Biology and Genetics: Influences predisposition to certain health issues.

• Social Factors: Support systems and community context play a role.

• Economic Factors: Socioeconomic status can impact access to resources and healthcare.

• Built Environment: Exposure to pollutants and infectious agents can affect health.

• Access to Quality Health Services: Availability and affordability are key.

• Policymaking: Health policies affect health outcomes.

• Health Disparities: Inequities in health status or access based on race, gender, economic status, etc.

Changes in Healthy Behaviors

• How might your healthy behaviors change? Examples for each model:

  • Health Belief Model: Changes in perceived benefits and barriers to actions like exercising.

  • Social Cognitive Model: Observing peers influencing one’s diet or exercise habits.

  • Transtheoretical Model: Movement through stages of readiness for lifestyle changes.

Health Disparities

• Facts about health disparities:

  • Certain races and genders are more prone to health inequalities.

  • Disparities affect access to healthcare, preventive services, and health outcomes.

• Health Disparity Definition: Differences in health status among distinct population groups.

• Focus on modifiable and preventable aspects of disparities to address issues.

• Significance in the US:

  • Contributes to the overall burden of disease.

  • Disparities can lead to worsening conditions over time.

• Determinants include:

  • Health-related knowledge

  • Access to services (physical availability and trust)

  • Patient-doctor relationships

  • Affordability of healthcare services

Psychological Health

• Psychological Health Definition: The emotional and mental well-being of an individual.

• Prerequisites for Good Psychological Health: According to Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs, one must satisfy basic needs to achieve cognitive and emotional health.

• Components of Mental Health:

  • Cognitive Health: Thinking and learning processes.

  • Emotional Health: Ability to manage feelings.

  • Social Health: Quality of relationships.

  • Spiritual Health: Connection to values and meaning.

• Social Health Factors:

  • Social status, roles, norms, bonds, support, and their impact on self-esteem and self-efficacy.

• Correlation between psychological and physiological health is significant.

Mental Health in College Students

• Common disorders include:

  • Mood disorders (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD))

  • Bipolar Disorder: Characterized by extreme mood swings.

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder: Occurs seasonally due to environmental factors.

  • Anxiety Disorders: Includes conditions like OCD and PTSD.

  • Personality Disorders examples include paranoid, narcissistic, and antisocial.

Mood Disorders

• Causes can be explained through:

  • Biological, environmental, and social factors.

  • Warning signs of suicide observed in individuals.

• Suicide Prevention: Strategies to address mental health stigma and encourage seeking help.

Stress and Related Health Topics

• Stress Definitions: Stress, stressors, eustress (positive stress), and distress (negative stress).

• Types of Stress:

  • Acute, episodic acute, chronic, and traumatic stress.

• Sympathoadrenal Response:

  • Involves two systems: SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) and PNS (Parasympathetic Nervous System).

  • Adrenal Gland functions (e.g., secreting adrenal hormones).

• Hormones involved:

  • Adrenaline/Epinephrine, Cortisol/Hydrocortisone.

• General Adaptation Syndrome: The body’s response to stress.

• Potential links between elevated endocrine levels (like Amyloid Beta Protein) and Alzheimer’s disease.

Spirituality

• Four spiritual needs:

  • Meaning and purpose

  • Hope and love

  • Creativity

  • Forgiveness

• Definition of Spirituality and Religion: Distinguishing between personal spirituality and organized religion.

• Differences between atheists and agnostics explored.

Sleep

• Sleep Definition: A state that involves physical and mental relaxation, characterized by altered consciousness.

• Two-process regulatory system of sleep includes:

  • Homeostatic sleep drive: Build-up of pressure to sleep.

  • Circadian rhythm: Internal clock influencing sleep cycles.

• Sleep Architecture: Includes stages of light sleep and deep sleep.

• Circadian Rhythm Regulation: Influenced by light and other stimuli.

• Sleep Disorders:

  • Apnea (including Obstructive Sleep Apnea), health consequences from untreated conditions.

  • Insomnia and methods for effective assessment.