Taking Charge of Your Health - Chapter 1

Learning Objectives

• Understand dimensions of wellness, including physical, emotional, and environmental aspects.
• Identify current health challenges in Canada, such as chronic diseases and mental health issues.
• Recognition of how factors like gender, ethnicity, income, and environment impact individual health.
• Importance of personal choices and behavioral changes in enhancing overall wellness.
• Critical evaluation of health information from various sources.
• Steps to create a behavior management plan for health-related changes.

Wellness: The New Health Goal

• Wellness represents a holistic approach to health, focusing on overall quality of life rather than simply the absence of disease.

Social Determinants of Health

• Key categories influencing health:
  • Income and distribution
  • Education levels
  • Employment conditions and job security
  • Access to health services
  • Social support networks
  • Early childhood development

Dimensions of Wellness

• Comprehensive aspects encompassing:
  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Spiritual
  • Environmental
  • Intellectual
  • Financial
  • Interpersonal
  • Occupational
  • Cultural

Life Expectancy Insights

• Genetics account for roughly 25% of life span variability.
• Lifestyle choices, such as avoiding smoking, significantly reduce risks of chronic conditions.
• Higher education and effective stress management correlate with increased longevity.
• Lifestyle factors such as obesity and diabetes are linked to shorter life spans.

Historical Context of Health

• In the early 1900s, infant mortality was high with one in ten babies not surviving past their first year.
• Average life expectancy was only 47 years, heavily affected by infectious diseases.
• Key health issues included pneumonia and poor sanitation, reflecting environmental hazards.

Leading Causes of Death in Canada (2020)

• Total deaths recorded: 307,205.
  • Cancer was the leading cause, accounting for 26.4% (80,973 deaths).
  • Heart disease followed at 17.5% (53,704 deaths).
  • Other significant causes:
    • COVID-19 (5.3%, 16,151 deaths)
    • Unintentional injuries (5.0%, 15,508 deaths)
    • Stroke (4.5%, 13,695 deaths)
    • Chronic respiratory diseases (3.6%, 11,722 deaths)
    • Diabetes (2.5%, 7,566 deaths)
    • Influenza and pneumonia (1.9%, 5,931 deaths)
    • Alzheimer’s disease (1.9%, 5,743 deaths)
    • Chronic liver disease (1.6%, 4,173 deaths)