Children's Health Study Sheet PDF

Unit 10: Children and Health – Study Sheet 1. Children's Health Care Health as a Social Construction: ○ Shaped by social, historical, and cultural contexts. ○ Subjectively experienced. Biomedical View: ○ Objective, normative approach to health. ○ Physical an...

Unit 10: Children and Health – Study Sheet 1. Children's Health Care Health as a Social Construction: ○ Shaped by social, historical, and cultural contexts. ○ Subjectively experienced. Biomedical View: ○ Objective, normative approach to health. ○ Physical and mental illness are seen as measurable phenomena. 2. History of Institutionalized Child Health Care Origins: ○ First child hospital (1855), post-industrialization. ○ Focused on addressing poor living conditions. Purpose: ○ “Fix” children and society. ○ Improve environments (e.g., green spaces, open-air schools). 3. Children’s Agency in Health Recognized as knowledgeable about their experiences, even in terminal illness (Bluebond-Langner, 1978). Engage in “mutual pretense” to protect themselves and others. Challenges developmental discourse viewing children as immature. 4. Disability Models 1. Medical Model: ○ Disability as a personal pathology needing medical intervention. 2. Social Model: ○ Disability arises from societal barriers, not personal impairment. ○ Advocates for inclusion and equal access. 3. Integrated Model: ○ Combines medical and social views. ○ Focuses on interaction between individuals and the environment. 5. Intersectionality: Disability and Social Class Higher SES Benefits:  ○ Faster diagnoses, better treatments, continuous advocacy. Lower SES Barriers: ○ Fewer resources, delayed support, greater stigma. 6. Western Epidemics & Cross-Cultural Differences 1. Obesity: ○ Rising prevalence in Canada (tripled since 1980s). ○ The UK bans unhealthy food ads for kids and regulates school meals. ○ Solutions focus on ecological models addressing social disadvantages. 2. ADHD: ○ Higher medication rates in North America vs. behavioral interventions in the UK. ○ Diagnosis more common in boys and among 10–14-year-olds. 7. Mental Health in Adolescents Global Impact: ○ 1 in 7 adolescents affected (UNICEF, 2019). Canada’s Rank: ○ 30th out of 38 developed countries for child well-being. Intersectionality: ○ LGBTQ+ youth and individuals with disabilities face higher mental health challenges. 8. Gender and Mental Health Depression Rates: ○ Higher among females, with gaps emerging by age 14. Suicidality: ○ Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Canadian youth. ○ Male suicide rates are three times higher than females. 9. Social Support as a Protective Factor Benefits: ○ Increases mental health ratings and well-being. ○ Having a reliable support system is linked to excellent or very good mental health. Canadian Findings: ○ Over half of men with social support report excellent mental health (Statistics Canada, 2023).