Topic 3.5 Healthy people and the impact of environments on health (90 GLH)

Understanding the characteristics of healthy human beings, including their behaviour, and an appreciation of how these are affected by their environments is essential to the planning of effective health care programmes. The nature of health care programmes varies globally and will be influenced by political, economic and social conditions.

Those involved in planning and delivering health care programmes include doctors and nurses, backed up by teams that include healthcare scientists, radiotherapists, health visitors, midwives, physiotherapists, medical physicists, dieticians and community health practitioners. People involved in the diagnosis of diseases include clinicians and pathologists. Many people are involved in establishing and maintaining healthy living environments, including scientists, architects, town planners and environmental health officers.

The purpose of this topic is for learners to be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of the functions of a healthy body and factors that have an impact on health and wellbeing to propose and evaluate intervention options and preventative measures. They will have the opportunity to analyse diagnostic data and draw conclusions from it. Learners will find out how improved hygiene, nutrition and health care, together with an understanding of the importance of the design and maintenance of living environments, can contribute to people being healthier and living longer. Learners will have the opportunity to model trends to help them anticipate occurrences and predict the potential spread of disease.

This topic could provide an opportunity for learners to work in teams.

Learners must know and understand:

1. basic processes in human cells and an appreciation of the physiology of the main organ systems of a healthy body including the characteristic features of healthy cells, tissues, organs and organ systems in humans

2. natural changes to the body as it ages and different models of ageing

3. types of diseases and the changes they cause to the human body and mental health of individuals, including diseases or genetic conditions that compromise the healthy functioning of the body

4. the relationship between brain and behaviour, including brain structures underlying the basic functions of behaviour

5. types of medical and surgical treatment options

6. preventative medicine options including vaccination, health education and screening programmes, and their effectiveness in ensuring lifelong health and wellbeing

7. methods to obtain, analyse and interpret diagnostic data, including models to predict patterns and spread of diseases

8. the concept of health and wellbeing in human beings

9. the subjective nature of health including an awareness of health on an individual and societal level and World Health Organisation definitions of these

10. how the living environment impacts on the perception and expectations of health

11. the concept of environmental health and factors that affect the quality of human living environments

12. techniques of monitoring and intervention to reduce or eliminate environmental and social factors that might affect human health and wellbeing

13. social, ethical, political, cultural and economic considerations that may impact on the choice of treatment, intervention or environmental design options

14. how to present treatment, intervention or environmental design options to a given audience.

Learners must be able to:

1. analyse and evaluate observational data relating to health and wellbeing

2. present reasons for observed effects of the environment on health and wellbeing

3. recommend a solution to an environmental challenge to health and wellbeing based on scientific understanding

4. use scientific principles to justify the programme designed / actions proposed to solve a challenge to health and wellbeing.

In order to engage with this topic effectively, learners must use the following PLTS:

• creative thinkers
• effective participators.