1. Syllabus Content
The degree of control individuals can exert over their health
Modifiable and non-modifiable health determinants
The changing influence of determinants through different stages of life

2. The Degree of Control Individuals can have over their Health
Many health problems that are currently prevalent (widespread or predominant) in Australia are linked to the decisions people make about their health and the lifestyle that they lead.
However, a person’s level of health is not solely determined by individual choices.
Not all Australians are able to exert the same degree of control over their health, which has resulted in inequalities arising in the health status of particular population groups.
Inequality is the unequal distribution of illness or conditions throughout the population.

3. Disadvantaged Population Groups
The Degree of Control Individuals can have over their Health (cont.)
Disadvantaged Population Groups
Disadvantaged Population Groups
ATSI
People from low socioeconomic groups
People living in rural and remote areas
People suffering from a disability
Australians born overseas
Older people

4. Modifiable Health Determinants
Modifiable health determinants are those that can be changed or controls so they have a different level of influence on our health.
There are 5 main factors that are central to the control we are likely to exert over our health, socioeconomic advantage, self-efficiency, health knowledge and skills, interest or desire and attitude.

5. Socioeconomic Advantage
Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Socioeconomic Advantage
Being in a position of socioeconomic advantage provides us access to physical and social resources such as education, money and health services that can make our life better.
For some people, modifying the socioeconomic determinants that influence their health, such as education, employment and income, can be difficult.
Their overall outlook on life can help them to overcome barriers created by their socioeconomic conditions and change their health behaviours.

6. Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Self-Efficiency
Self-efficiency refers to our belief in our ability to bring about change.
The stronger our self-efficiency, the greater our levels of perseverance and persistence and feelings of control.
If we have low self-efficiency we are more likely to feel powerless and produce negative self-evaluations that can lead to lower self-esteem.

7. Health Knowledge and Skills
Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Health Knowledge and Skills
The health knowledge and skills that people possess is one area that can be modified to enable them to assert greater control over their health.
Reliable and accurate information on issues such as how to prepare healthy meals or increase our physical activity are available in places such as doctor’s surgeries, local newspapers and on the internet.
Not everyone will have the same access to this information. The long term unemployed, homeless and some Indigenous people are likely to find it most difficult to improve their health knowledge and skills.

8. Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Interest or Desire
People need to possess an interest or desire to improve their health knowledge and skills. Health is not always the central consideration when people make decisions. Often the immediate demands and pressures of daily life take precedence.

9. Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Attitudes
People’s attitudes to health are another determinant that may be modified.
Different experiences in our life (eg. Developing skin cancer or losing a friend in a road accident) may lead to a change in our health attitudes.
Health promotion campaigns are a commonly used strategy that seek to change people’s attitudes and beliefs.
Factors that influence a persons attitude include age, society attitudes, self-efficiency, individual beliefs.

10. Non-Modifiable Health Determinants
Non-modifiable health determinants are determinants that cannot be changed or altered.
The only factors that might be seen as non-modifiable determinants of health are genetics/heredity and some environment factors.

11. Non-Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Genetics
The genetic material we receive from our parents can pass on certain health conditions, increase our susceptibility to particular illnesses or see us inherit characteristics that can affect our health.
This genetic material cannot be altered, although tests for certain conditions such as Down Syndrome can be performed prior to conception and during pregnancy.
Progress in treatments of particular genetic conditions, has meant that people born with conditions that use to be life threatening, such as haemophilia, can generally now lead healthy, normal lives.
People with a family history of a particular illness such as breast cancer can also undergo monitoring, screening and surgery before symptoms are detected in an effort to reduce the risk of cancer developing.

12. Environmental Factors
Non-Modifiable Health Determinants (cont.)
Environmental Factors
Factors such as geographic location, access to health care, availability of technology and other environmental factors are also largely non-modifiable.
People living in rural and remote areas have little control over the limited health services available, the sparse infrastructure, the occupational hazards, social isolation or natural disasters.

13. People living in areas surrounded by heavy industry or high volumes of traffic have little control over the levels of air pollution that may be present in the environment.
Precautions can be taken such as staying indoors when there is high levels of pollution.
Some people lobby governments for increased expenditure for health services or tighter controls on factory emissions, however, high levels of knowledge are usual required to initiate change.

14. Changing Influence of Determinants through Different Life Stages
The influence of health determinants changes through the different life stages. Children of less affluent families are more likely to experience failure at school, work in the more disadvantaged sectors of the workforce, and experience unemployment early in their working lives.
Poorer families are more likely to produce babies of lower birth weight. Children with low birth weight have an increased risk of socioeconomic disadvantaged during childhood and adolescence and an increased risk of chronic disease in middle age.

15. The transition from school to work is regarded as having influence on the determinants of health.
People who enter less well paid employment are at greater risk of experiencing insecurity and being exposed to physical and chemical hazards at work.
They are also more likely to live in less well constructed housing in more polluted neighbourhoods, and retire on no more than the basic pension.

16. Changing Influence of Determinants through Different Life Stages (cont
As people age they become more susceptible to disease. These are known as DEGENERATIVE DISEASES.
Activity
Relate to how the Elderly can modify their lifestyle to decrease their susceptibility to degenerative disease.