1.3

Environmental Factors Affecting Health and Wellness

Physical Environment

• Climate, geography, and pollution can influence health
• Factors like frequent destructive weather events, sun exposure, and mountainous terrain can increase risk for injury
• Pollution is a major environmental factor, causing 9 million deaths per year, with air pollution accounting for 4 million deaths
• Home, school, and work conditions can also impact health, with exposure to dangerous substances or conditions increasing risk for injury or disease

Computer Use and Health

• Computer use and time spent sitting can impact health, leading to eye strain, repetitive use injuries, and limiting opportunities for physical activity
• Homelessness can also affect health, with a lack of stable housing leading to a higher risk of health problems

Social Environment

• Social environment impacts health, with relationships with family, peers, and community members affecting health
• Family relationships are a key part of social environment, with a safe family environment being protective and promoting health and development
• Unhealthy or abusive family relationships increase risk for health conditions, with teens from these families more likely to engage in risky behaviors

Peers

• Healthy and respectful peer relationships reduce risk for health conditions, improving self-esteem and contributing to a sense of belonging
• Negative or abusive peer relationships are risk factors for anxiety and depression
• Teens who feel rejected may become socially isolated and less physically active, contributing to poor physical and mental health conditions

Culture and Community

• Culture and community are part of social environment, with cultural practices and behaviors affecting health and wellness
• A community's safety and security affects personal health, with people in unsafe communities avoiding outdoor activities and experiencing more chronic stress
• A person's sense of belonging in a community also affects health, with feeling isolated being a risk factor

Media and Technology

• Media and technology have a significant influence on health, with media messages influencing decisions and behaviors
• Questions to analyze media include: who created the message, what techniques are used to catch attention, how might others understand the message differently, and what behaviors, values, and points of view are included or excluded
• Technology has both positive and negative effects on health, with advances in medicine improving health outcomes and social media enabling communication and social support

Economic Environment

• Economic environment includes level of education, income, and resources, affecting access to healthcare and health outcomes
• Education and income are correlated, with higher levels of education leading to better health outcomes and higher income enabling access to healthcare and resources
• Access to health services is also an important economic factor, with effective health services resulting from collaboration among healthcare professionals

Skills for Health and Wellness

• Knowing and understanding risk and protective factors can help individuals make healthy decisions and practice healthier behaviors
• Protective factors include access to healthcare, healthy body weight, physical activity, positive relationships, and access to nutritious food and safe housing
• Community factors that impact health include air and water pollution, access to clean drinking water, and access to parks and green spaces.