WEEK 4: PERSONAL HEALTH

TOPIC: PERSONAL HEALTH

Determinants of Health:

The health of an individual is affected by various factors through life. The factors which play major role in influencing the health of an individual include the following

1. Heredity:- This is the passing on of character from parents to their off-spring. In other words we are the products of our parents and to some extent, our grand and great grandparent. Their genes in varying combination (both desirable and undesirable ones) became our genes. Heredity accounts for all the difference in human growth, development, intelligence, physical composition, resistance to disease etc.
2. Environment:- This refers to all the external influences that affect an individual from conception to death. Environmental factors can be classified as follows.

1. Physical environment: This includes climate, water, food, air, heat, traffic and waste which all affect health.
2. Biological environment:- This consists of all living plants and animals which affect health.
3. Social environment: This consists of all cultural values, customs, beliefs, attitudes social-economic status, mass media, home and leisure environment which all affect health.

3. Life style: This refers to all behaviourable patterns and health practices displayed when eating using the toilet, drinking and smoking and sexual behavior and personal hygiene practices. Which all affect health? Through good behavior, an individual can modify the effects of heredity and the environment to improve his health.

Characteristics of a healthy person:

1. A healthy person can do his daily duties without getting tired unnecessarily.
2. A healthy person is able to resist diseases and infection.
3. A person is said to be healthy if the behavior is in line with the accepted pattern.
4. A healthy person has a strong and better interpersonal relationship with others
5. Has the ability to understand and perform mental tasks easily and meaningfully.
6. Takes responsibility of his or her actions.
7. Appreciate and understand other
8. Adapt easily to new situation.

Exercise

1. Give three factors that influence the health of an individual.
2. State five characteristics of a healthy person.