Strand: Promoting the Health of Individuals and Communities

 

4.1 Students recommend actions they can take to promote their health in response to social, biological or environmental factors.

4.2 Students develop and implement strategies for optimising personal diet based on identified nutritional needs for growth, energy and health.

4.3 Students propose ways of responding to situations and behaviours that are unsafe, harmful or risky, after assessing options and consequences.

 

4.4 Students justify the selection of health products and services that best meet their health needs.

4.5 Students identify aspects of their social and physical environments that enhance, or pose threats to, their health, and plan strategies for achieving healthy environments for themselves and others.

 

Actions they can take to promote their health:

·    say ‘no’ to peer pressure (social)

·    reject physical dares and risks (social)

·    manage relationships (social)

·    challenge media messages and images (social)

·    manage changes associated with puberty (biological)

·    monitor air and water quality and noise levels (environmental)

·    report bullying, racism and harassment (social)

 

 

 

Strategies for optimising personal diet:

·    determine personal nutritional needs based on growth and energy required for physical activity and health condition and alter accordingly

·    identify factors that support and those that impede an individual in optimising his or her personal diet and act on these

·    maintain fluid intake to regulate body functioning

·    eat carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes and pasta for energy

·    eat foods containing iron and calcium for growth and repair of body

·    reduce salt, sugar and fat intake to maintain healthy body functioning

 

 

 

Ways of responding to situations and behaviours that are unsafe, harmful or risky:

·    assist a swimmer in difficulty

·    leave and report violent or abusive situations

·    learn self-defence

·    say ‘no’ assertively to physical dares

·    alert others and/or emergency services to environmental hazards

·    avoid polluted environments

·    take appropriate precautions in temperature extremes

·    report bullying, racism and sexism

·    critically evaluate recommendations on health products

 

Assessing options and consequences:

·    identify all possible options

·    assess consequences of each option

·    identify and justify best option(s)

 

 

Health products and services that meet personal health needs:

·    deodorants and sanitary items in response to lifestyle factors and for the protection they offer

·    sun protection products to complement skin type and reduce risk of sun damage

·    protective equipment selected for safety and comfort in chosen physical activity

·    doctor who relates well to young people

·    school guidance officer or nurse

·    ambulance for emergency health service

·    dietitian for nutritional advice

·    religious worker or psychologist for spiritual and emotional health concerns

 

Justifying the selection of products and services:

·    meets health needs

·    culturally appropriate

·    cost-effective

·    affordable

·    easily accessed

·    readily available

·    complements lifestyle

·    provides better protection

 

Aspects of environments that enhance:

·    clean air and water

·    road signs

·    waste disposal facilities

·    safety policies and procedures

·    parks and natural bushland

·    cooperation, support and respect among individuals

·    celebrations

 

Aspects of environments that pose threats to their health:

·    air pollution by industry, motor vehicles and smoking

·    water pollution by waste disposal and chemical run-off

·    land pollution by litter and improper dumping of waste

·    inaccurate signage

·    clearing of forests

·    people who drink and drive

·    harassment, bullying and racism

·    uncooperative and argumentative behaviours

 

Strategies for achieving healthy physical and social environments for themselves and others:

·    follow rules and procedures

·    use public transport or cycle

·    develop and implement a smoke-free policy

·    be supportive, tolerant and respectful of others

·    deal with conflict in socially acceptable ways

·    advocate for changes to laws, rules and policies

·    campaign for improvements to air quality

·    conduct a sun safety education campaign