Factors Influencing Health

Heredity, Environment, Behavior and

Access to Care

Objective:

Students will identify the roles played by heredity,

environment, behavior and access to care in causing
illness.
 Health
• Not just the absence of disease but the
overall well-being of your body, your mind,
and your relationships with other people.

• Physical, Mental/Emotional, Social

 Genetic Influences-Heredity
Direct Influence
• Race

• Gender

• Genetic transmission of disease

• Can you change your heredity?

 Environmental Influences

• The environment influences our health in

many ways — through exposures to
physical, chemical and biological risk
factors, and through related changes in
our behavior in response to those factors.
 Environmental Influences
1. Infectious disease / communicable
diseases
2. Toxic substance exposure
3. Culture
4. Family Composition / Economic Status /
Educational level of parents
5. Access to Care
 Access to Care

• The timely use of personal health services

to achieve the best possible health
outcomes.

• Access to health care, also where you live,

learn, work, play and worship
 Behavioral influences
• Influences we have the most control over
• Our actions, decisions, what we choose to
do / or not to do
• Lifestyle
• Habits are hard to break
Factors Influencing Health
 Group Work

• Assigned groups of 3

• It is expected that all members are participating in the discussion.

• Helpful Roles
– Reader
– Recorder
– Spokes Person

• Case studies

• Health history of family-Sept 30th

 Direct exposure
Radiation exposure
– Cosmic radiation from the sun
– Terrestrial radiation found in nature (soil, water and
vegetation)
– Man made sources (Tobacco, TVs, Medical X-rays,
Smoke detectors, Lantern mantles, Nuclear medicine,
Building materials)
– Occupational (X-ray technicians)
• Compute your own radiation exposure at
http://mitnse.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/radiation
_mm_06.pdf
 Direct exposure continued

• Violence exposure
– Media violence
• Desensitization due to violence exposure in real-life, video
games, television, movies, and the internet

– Real violence
• witnessed violence, threat of violence, repeated bullying,
perceived safety, and criminal victimization.
• Consequences include post traumatic stress disorder,
alcohol and drug use, and depression.