Health Perception Quiz

Health and Wellness

• Health is defined as the capacity to lead a satisfying life, fulfilling ambitions, and accommodating change. (Ottawa Charter, World Health Organization, 1986)
• Health is specific to a person's life, dynamic, ever-changing, holistic (not just the absence of disease), multidimensional, and related to a person's ability to cope with life's challenges (physically and psychologically).

Dimensions of Health

• Health is multidimensional, encompassing physical, social, mental, environmental, spiritual, and emotional aspects.
• These dimensions are interdependent and interact to produce a unique health and wellness profile for each individual.

Health and Wellness in Adolescence

• Adolescent health and wellness is related to coping with life transitions.
• Specific adolescent transitions include: increased autonomy and individuality, increased responsibility, increased industry (work and productivity), intensification of relationships, and changes in body structure.
• Dimensions of health related to transition can be categorized as: being (self-identity), belonging (social connections), and becoming (accomplishments).

Achievement of Health and Wellness

• Achieving health and wellness is an ongoing process, not a single event.
• Making healthy choices, such as good nutrition, are important guidelines.
• Maintaining a balance of activities is key, as too much or too little of any activity can have negative consequences (e.g., too little exercise = poor cardiovascular health, too much exercise = weakened immune system, stress injuries).

Approaches to Health and Wellness

• Reactive (Curative): A reactive approach to health focuses on addressing issues when they arise, rather than proactively preventing them. It involves worrying only when sick and not controlling health in the absence of disease (e.g., taking medicine when sick but not having a consistent healthy lifestyle).
• Proactive: A proactive approach involves adopting habits that promote long-term health (e.g., building healthy habits like regular exercise and healthy eating).

Wellness: Your Personal Responsibility

• Wellness is reflected in how a person chooses to live their life.
• It involves making informed choices and taking responsibility for those choices.
• The sense of wellness is impacted by various factors like family, culture, peers, and media.

Family Influences on Health and Wellness

• Positive family influences can positively affect a person's overall health, well-being, and sense of satisfaction. Positive influences are expressed through:
  • Education about health and wellness (e.g., advice about healthy behaviors)
  • Family values (e.g., prioritizing physical activity)
  • Providing support during difficult times.
• Negative family influences can also influence health negatively. Aggressive parents, for example, may harm a child's health through poor role-modeling.

Media Influences on Health and Wellness

• Media can be highly motivational, presenting role models who encourage physical activity.
• Unfortunately, media can also encourage unhealthy choices, impacting body image and how people see health. (e.g., commercialization of specific body shapes can result in a distorted idea of healthy body image).

The Reality Behind the Image

• Media portrayals of ideal bodies can distort the idea of healthy bodies and shape negative interpretations about health.

Social/Peer Influences on Health and Wellness

• Participation in sports provides opportunities for social interaction and meeting new people.
• Peer influences can have a significant impact on an individual's health, potentially offering both positive and negative impacts.
• Choosing positive social contacts and resisting negative peer pressure is key.

Cultural Influences on Health and Wellness

• Beliefs about health vary by culture. Western cultures often emphasize scientific explanations for illness, while other cultures often incorporate spiritual or holistic approaches.
• Health in North America emphasizes scientific perspectives to health, often focusing on treatment of individual organs and systems.
• Cultures often interpret health in diverse ways.

Putting It All Together

• Health is multidimensional, influenced by personal choices, and the various dimensions of culture. Individuals must make decisions that take into account all aspects of health.
• Perceptions about health are molded by family, peers, media, and culture.
• The journey towards good health is ongoing and lifelong.

Test your understanding of different cultural influences on health perceptions and strategies for maintaining healthy relationships with peers. This quiz explores the multidimensional view of health and overarching beliefs about health journeys, helping to deepen your cultural awareness.