KEY DEFINITIONS Flashcards
Behavioural determinants
Actions or patterns of living of an individual or a group that impact on health, such as smoking, sexual activity, participation in physical activity and eating practices.
Bilateral aid
Where aid is given by one country directly to another. An example of bilateral aid is when Australia provides aid to East Timor
Biological determinants
Factors relating to the body that impact on health, such as genetics, hormones, body weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Biomedical model of health
Focuses on the physical or biological aspects of disease and illness. It is a medical model of care practised by doctors and health professionals and is associated with the diagnosis, cure and treatment of disease.
Burden of disease
A measure of the impact of diseases and injuries. Specifically it measures the gap between current health status and an ideal situation where everyone lives to an old age free of disease and disability. Burden of disease is measured in a unit called the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY)
Determinants of health
‘Factors that raise or lower a level of health in a population or individual. Determinants of health help to explain or predict trends in health and why some groups may have better or worse health than others.’ (AIHW). Determinants can be classified in many ways such as biological, behavioural, physical environment and social.
Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY)
A measure of burden of disease, one DALY equals one year of healthy life lost due to premature death and time lived with illness, disease or injury.
Emergency aid
The rapid assistance given to people or countries in immediate distress to relieve suffering, during and after man-made emergencies such as wars and natural disasters such as flood, tsunami or earthquake. This aid is also known as humanitarian aid.
Food security
‘The state in which all persons obtain nutritionally adequate, culturally appropriate, safe food regularly through local non-emergency sources’ (VicHealth)
Global Health
The health of populations in a worldwide context that go beyond the perspectives and concerns of individual countries. Global health is about an international collaborative approach to achieving equity in health for all people worldwide.
Health
‘A complete state of physical, social and mental wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO)
Health Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE)
A measure of burden of disease based on life expectancy at birth, but including an adjustment for time spent in poor health. It is the number of years in full health that a person can expect to live, based on current rates of ill-health and mortality.
Health status
‘An individual’s or a population’s overall health, taking into account various aspects such as life expectancy, amount of disability and levels of disease risk factors.’ (AIHW)
Human development
Creating an environment in which people can develop to their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests. It is about expanding people’s choices and enhancing capabilities , having access to knowledge, health and a decent standard of living, and participating in the life of their community and decisions affecting their lives.
Human Development Index
A tool developed by the United Nations to measure and rank countries’ levels of social and economic development. It provides a single statistic based on three dimensions - health, education and living standards, and four indicators - life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling and gross national income per capita.
