9-12 Course Selection Guide - Mount Eliza Secondary College

Health and Human DevelopmentThe study of Health and Human Development provides an opportunity for students to investigate health andhuman development issues across the lifespan. Students will develop the knowledge, attitudes, values and skillsto become actively involved in shaping the influences that determine their own health and development, andthe health of their local and global communities. The study also promotes the understanding that many factors,both inherited and environmental, play a major role in determining health and development; and that one ofthe most significant influences on health and development is nutrition. Promoting good nutrition enhances anindividual’s quality of life as well as his or her physical, social, emotional and intellectual development. Inaddition, it contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of society.Structure: The study is made up of four units:Unit 1: The health and development of Australia’s youthIn this unit students develop an understanding of the concepts of health and individual human development.Students develop an understanding of the physical, social, emotional and intellectual changes associated withthe developmental stage of youth. They interpret data on the health status of Australia’s youth and develop anunderstanding of how determinants influence youth health and individual human development. Studentsexplore the importance of nutrition during this lifespan stage and explore the impact of particular health issueson health and individual human development. They develop an understanding of how determinants of healthact as risk and/or protective factors in relation to selected health issues.Unit 2: Individual human development and health issuesThis unit focuses on the lifespan stages of childhood and adulthood. Students will explore the physicaldevelopment that occurs from conception to late childhood, as well as the social, emotional and intellectualchanges that occur from birth to late childhood. Students will investigate how biological and behaviouralfactors, physical environments and social environments, influence child health and development. Students willexplore the physical, social, emotional and intellectual changes that occur during adulthood. They willinvestigate the health status of Australia’s adults, including the various determinants that have an impact onhealth and individual human development. In this unit students will identify a range of health issues thatimpact on Australia’s health system and investigate at least one health issue in detail. Students use statisticaldata to identify emerging trends and evaluate a range of views related to a selected health issue.Unit 3: Australia’s healthIn this unit students develop an understanding of the health status of Australians by investigating the burden ofdisease and the health of population groups in Australia. Students use key health measures to compare healthin Australia with other developed countries, and analyse how biological, behavioural and social determinants ofhealth contribute to variations in health status.Students will examine the development of the NHPAs (National Health Priority areas) and their relationship toburden of disease in Australia. They analyse initiatives designed to promote health relevant to the NHPAs, andcome to understand that nutrition is an important factor for a number of the NHPAs. Students examinedifferent models of health and health promotion. They investigate the roles and responsibilities ofgovernments in addressing health needs and promoting health for all through the provision of a national healthsystem and health promotion initiatives. Students examine the role of government and non-governmentorganisations in providing programs and support for the promotion of healthy eating.Unit 4: Global health and human developmentIn this unit students explore global health, human development and sustainability and their interdependencies.They identify similarities and differences in the health status between people living in developing countries andAustralians, and analyse reasons for the differences. The role of the United Nations Millennium DevelopmentGoals is investigated in relation to achieving sustainable improvements in health status and humandevelopment. Students explore the role of international organisations including the UN and WHO in achievingsustainable improvements in health and human development. Students consider strategies designed to promotehealth and sustainable human development globally, as well as Australia’s contribution to international healthprograms through AusAid and contributions to non-government organisations.55