27227 Critical Issues in Health and Wellbeing

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject examines the links between certain behavioural risk factors (e.g. smoking, high-fat diet, chronic stress) and illness and mortality; as well as between health behaviours (e.g. balanced nutrition, exercise, good sleep habits and stress-reducing activities) and disease prevention and wellness.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. understand factors that impact health and wellbeing: including individual behaviour, environmental and social factors across the lifespan
2. demonstrate knowledge of current issues and research pertaining to health and wellbeing
3. discuss the key issues regarding adolescents at risk, and harm minimisation strategies.

Contribution to graduate profile

This is a core subject for students in the BA Human Movement Studies/Bachelor of Teaching program who intend to complete the PDHPE stream. It provides an overview of the links between certain behavioural risk factors (such as smoking, high-fat diet, chronic stress) and illness and mortality; as well as between health behaviours (such as balanced nutrition, exercise, good sleep habits and stress reducing activities) and disease prevention and wellness. This subject is compulsory for students who wish to be accredited as PDHPE teachers by the NSW Department of Education.

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies include formal lectures, tutorials, experiential activities, group discussions and student presentations. Content for this subject will be supported by UTSOnline.

Content

• Holistic perspectives to health and wellbeing
• Child protection
• Lifestyle management — health behaviour related to wellbeing including diet, physical activity and sleep
• Mental health and resilience
• Risk behaviour and harm minimisation — alcohol, drugs, smoking, driving
• Relationships and health — sexual health, communication skills
• Disease prevention
• Cancer
• Heart disease

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Mid-demester exam (Individual)

Assessment item 2: Presentation (Group)

Assessment item 3: Final Exam (Individual)

Required text(s)

Edlin, G, Golanty, E and McCormack Brown, K (2007) Health and Wellness (9th edn), Boston, MA: Jones & Bartlett

http://health.jbpub.com/hwonline/

Indicative references

Brannon, L and Feist, J (2004) Health Psychology: An Introduction to Behaviour and Health, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning

Caltabiano, ML et al. (2002) Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial Interactions, An Australian Perspective, Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons

Carr, T and Descheemaeker, K (eds) (2002), Nutrition and Health. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science

Dement, WC (2000), The Promise of Sleep, New York, NY: Dell Publishing

Greenberg, JS (2003), Comprehensive Stress Management (8th edn), New York, NY: McGraw Hill

Irvin, J, Bowers, C, Dunn, M and Wang, M (1999) Efficacy of relapse prevention: A meta-analytic review, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Jenkins, CD (2003) Building better health: A handbook of behavioural change, Washington, DC: World Health Organization

Larimer, M, Palmer, P, Marlatt, G (1999) Relapse Prevention: An Overview of Marlatt's Cognitive-Behavioural Model, Alcohol Research and Health. 23(1), 151-160

Maas, JB (1999), Power Sleep. New York, NY: Random House

Marlatt, GA and Donovan, DM (eds) (2005) Relapse Prevention: Maintenance Strategies in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviors (2nd edn) New York, NY: Guilford Press

Marlatt, G and George, W (1998) Relapse Prevention and the Maintenance of Optimal Health, in S. Shumaker, E. Schron, J. Ockene, W.L. McBee (eds), The Handbook of Health Behaviour Change (pp 35-58). New York, NY: Springer Publishing

Seaward, BL (2004), Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Wellbing (4th edn), Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett

Shumaker, S, Schron, E, Ockene, J, Parker, C, Probstfield, J and Wolle, J (1990), The Handbook of Health Behaviour Change. New York, NY: Springer Publishing

Yuan, CS and Bieber, EJ (2003) Textbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Boca Raton, FL: Parthenon Publishing Group.