Where did you last spend your

money?
What item did you buy? Why?
What kind of service did you
last avail?
Who recently shared with you
a new health information?
These are only a few of the
things that concern you as
adolescents. Decision-
making is an important skill
that you must learn in order
to live a healthy and normal
life.
CONSUMER

HEALTH
CONSUMER HEALTH
aims to develop a person’s
ability to evaluate and
utilize health information,
products and services
wisely and effectively.
All of us are consumers.
We acquire health
information, purchase
health products, and avail
health services to
appraise, improve and
maintain our health.
Health information is any
idea that we hear from
people around us, read from
books and other printed
materials, or from the media
that influence our health.
Health
Health products are
items that we consume to
improve our well-being,
like medicine, food,
clothes, furniture,
electronics, etc.
Health services are programs we
avail from various providers such
as physicians, nurses, therapists,
health workers, hospitals, clinics,
and the government. Some
examples of these health services
are insurance, treatment and cure,
complementary and alternative
medicine.
In this light, we must all be
educated consumers who make
wise selection of information,
products, and services that are
scientifically proven and legally
approved. It is our duty to
evaluate and examine the
reliability of the sources.
 A teenager once went to the local
market to buy materials for a Science
project. Upon passing by some stalls, he
was invited for a free orientation on the
latest product of a company.
The company was selling “health rings”
that can detect the mood of a person and
help lower body temperature and blood
pressure. The teenager was easily
attracted, which made him buy two health
rings for himself and his sister. He spent
Php 600 for the items.
 After a week, the teenager and
his sister developed red spots and
rashes on their fingers. Upon
checking, the rings are observed
to have rust around them. The
teenager wants to file a complain
so the company may return his
money.
1. What is the nature of the teenager’s problem?
____________________________________________________

2. Who can help him with his problem?

______________________________________________________

3. What rights protect the teenager?

______________________________________________________

4. What would you ask yourself before buying a health product to avoid
the same experience?
______________________________________________________

5. As a Grade 10 student, how can you help the teenager?

______________________________________________________
 SURVEY SAYS!
1. Go around the classroom and ask a classmate to answer each question. 3.
2. Record the responses.

a. What should I do when my head and body

ache?
b. How many times should I take vitamin and
mineral supplements?
c. What is the best way to make my skin
smooth?
d. When is the best time to trip your
fingernails?
e. What is the most effective way to lose
weight?
a. Which of your classmates’
answers do you agree with?
Which do you disagree with?
Why?
b. What kind of information is
being asked? Is it critical? Why?
c. Who can accurately answer
these questions?
Consumer health has three
components: health
information, health products,
and health services.

What you have gathered from

your classmates is health
information.
Health information plays a big
role in the life of individuals.
“It is information that people
require to make wise choices
and decisions about their
health or the health of [other
people]” (Galvez Tan, et al.,
2009)
Health information is any concept,
step, or advice that various sources
give to aid the health status of an
individual. The type of information
varies depending on “diseases, sexual
health, weight loss/gain, drugs and
alcohol, depression/mental illness,
violence, smoking, eating disorders,
acne/skin care, local clinics, and sexual
assault” (Payne, et al., 2005).
The information is critical as it may alter
the health conditions of a person.
Another important characteristic of
health information is that it is
continuously and rapidly changing. Thus, it
“should be timely, relevant, culturally
appropriate, accessible, and delivered in a
relevant format” (Galvez Tan, et al.,
2009). There is a great need to update
oneself regarding current research and
evidence available in the field.
 Aside from health information, people
also consume health products.
Health products are food, drugs,
cosmetics, devices, biologicals, vaccines,
in-vitro diagnostic reagents, and
household/urban hazardous substances
and/or a combination of and/or a
derivative thereof (FDA Act, 2009).
These products may be purchased from
various places like supermarkets,
pharmacies, and hospitals.
List five examples of health products
that people consume.

HEALTH
PRODUCTS

How do these products affect the overall

well-being of an individual?