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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.