Discuss developmental, gender, and sociocultural factors in health. Provide examples of each and identify the impact on the individual and the community.
Below is a Sample Solution.
Remember! This is just a sample. You can get a custom paper from one of our expert writers.
Wellbeing or health, in general, can be greatly influenced by various factors such as development, gender, and sociocultural factors. These are called determinants of health and may cause positive impact, negative impact, or sometimes both.
Development. As a human grows, he/she develops changes within his/her body. Proper development started as early as pregnancy may increase the chance of immunity of child as he/she grows up. Newborn screening and regular check-ups also play a vital role in maintaining the proper development of a human being. Also, genetics and inheritance plays a part in determining lifespan, healthiness and the likelihood of developing certain illnesses. For example, a child is suffering from Congenital Hyperthyroidism. If this disorder is detected from the newborn screening, it can be treated back to normal. If every newborn in our community will be screened, many cases of disorders will be managed and treated, thus providing a healthy new generation.
Gender. Certain forms of diseases can only be acquired by either a man or a woman. It is possible to trace many male health risks back to behavior: in general, men participate in activities that contribute to higher rates of injury and illness. They still prefer to eat foods that are less balanced. In addition, men’s increased risk for these diseases can also be affected by their hormones and genes. For example, more than 39 percent of men aged 65 and over have heart disease, compared to about 27 percent of women in the same age group. This can be caused by their body shape. While the bodies of women appear to be pear-shaped, the bodies of men are normally apple-shaped. It also falls on their hips and thighs as females gain weight.
Sociocultural factor. According to studies, greater support from families, friends and communities is linked to better health. Likewise, customs and traditions, and the beliefs of the family and community all affect health. For example, a certain group in the society use traditional medical myths without any scientific and proven medical effects. The use of these methods may aggravate disease, or worst, may lead to death. Another example, a certain group also decline having blood transfusion because of their beliefs, this may alter the medication and may lead to more complications. However, due to cultural respects, hospitals and other medical institutions tolerate these with proper documentation and legal consents.