Learning Objectives
Describe and illustrate what defines health behavior
Critical examination of protective behaviors and health risk behaviors
Analyze and compare factors that influence behaviors
Contents
Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
Tobacco smoking--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
Physical activity---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Diet------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Alcohol abuse------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
Sexual behaviors---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
Health screening----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
Social factors--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
Psychological factors----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
Cultural factors-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Association of personal choices, social settings, and global demographics and health behaviors
outcomes------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
References----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
1
,Introduction
In this section, students will be able to define behavior and explore its relationship with health
outcomes. Students will differentiate health-protective behaviors and health risk behaviors. This
section will then explore the role of social, psychological, and cultural factors that affect
individual and population behavior. Finally, at the end of this section, students will discuss how
personal choices, social settings, and changing global demographics influence health behaviors
and health outcomes.
Behavior is defined as the actions and habits that relate to the maintenance of health, the
restoration of health, and the improvement of health (Gochman 1997 vol 1, p. 3). In discussing
behaviors, it is important to differentiate health risk behaviors and health-protective behaviors.
Health protective behaviors contribute to health benefits and prevent individuals from diseases.
For example, engaging in physical activity, the use of condoms to prevent sexually transmitted
diseases, and consuming a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables. On the contrary, health risk
behaviors are those that are detrimental to health and can cause diseases. For example, excessive
alcohol consumption, consuming a diet high in fat and tobacco smoking.
Tobacco smoking
There is a link between smoking and coronary heart diseases (CHD). Individuals who smoke are
at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease (Saleheen et al., 2017, p.
6). Additionally, cigarette smoking is associated with diseases such as pneumonia (Antwi-
Amoabeng and Islam, 2020, pp. 2). In 1983, the Royal College of Physicians linked smoking to
lung, stomach, and bowel cancers. Smoking is common among individuals with less education
(Kuntz and Lampert, 2013, pp 3023).
2
,Physical activity
Physical activity is a health-protective behavior that can prevent diabetes, obesity and
cardiovascular diseases (Qin et al., 2009, p. 6). Engaging in regular physical activity lowers
blood pressure, increases the metabolism of fats, and carbohydrates as well as improved self-
esteem, and reduced stress and anxiety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).
Nevertheless, a significant proportion of individuals in the population lead a sedentary lifestyle.
In fact, 2 million deaths that occur globally are attributable to a lack of physical activity (cobia,
Vos, and Barendregt, (2009, p. 9). In the UK, the National Health Survey (NHS) indicated that
58 percent of adult women and 47 percent of adult men aged 75 years and above were physically
inactive compared to 19 percent of women and 13 percent of men aged 16 to 24 years. In the
United States, all states and territories were reported to have an estimated range of 17.3 to 47.7
percent of inactive adults from 2015 to 2018 (CDC, 2020). Overall, frequent physical activity is
associated with higher education levels and higher socioeconomic status.
Diet
Research has determined that consuming a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables can
prevent diseases (Sanchez, Norman et al., 2007, p.5). However, in the third world, the problems
related to diet and health is malnutrition. In developing countries, there is the overconsumption
of food and obesity. The World Health Organization estimates that 45 percent of deaths that
occur among children under the age of 5 in developing countries are due to malnutrition. In the
United States, excess calorie consumption has been associated with diabetes, obesity, high blood
pressure, and cancers. For example, 93.3 million U.S adults are obese with a prevalence of 39.8
percent. Furthermore, 13.7 million children in the U.S aged 2 to 19 years are reported to be obese
with a prevalence of 18. 5 percent (CDC, 2018). In the UK, an unhealthy diet has contributed to
3
, obesity. The National Health Survey reports that 1 in 4 adults is obese and 1 in 5 children is
obese (NHS, 2019). Research has established that elevated blood cholesterol can result in the
development of cardiovascular diseases (Zhong et al., 2019, p. 1090). A dietary modification that
includes an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables, with reduced fats and sugars
can decrease morbidity and mortality linked to chronic diseases.
Alcohol abuse
Cancers, diabetes, unintentional injuries, infectious diseases, and liver diseases have been
associated with alcohol consumption (Rehm, 2011, p.137). Chronic diseases manifest due to
continued drinking. Unintentional injuries such as accidents and violence result from excessive
alcohol consumption in a single drinking session. From the year 2006 to 2010, 88,000 deaths in
the U.S were associated with excessive alcohol consumption (CDC, 2019). In the UK, the
alcohol-specific death rate recorded in 2018 was 11.9 per 100,000 (Office of National Statistics,
2019).
Sexual behaviors
Sexual practices can be considered protective or risk behaviors because of their association with
sexually transmitted diseases. More importantly, there has been much focus on the role of sexual
behaviors in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Other sexually transmitted diseases include gonorrhea,
chlamydia, human papillomavirus, and genital herpes. There are 1.8 million cases of chlamydia
in the U.S. This is a 19 percent increase from the year 2014 (CDC, 2019). In the UK, the rate of
chlamydia infection in 2018 was at 392. 1 per 100,000 (Public Health England, 2019). Some
sexual infections may take years to manifest, others are asymptomatic, and others have mild
symptoms. Therefore, infected individuals do not seek treatment. Women are at a higher risk of
4
Describe and illustrate what defines health behavior
Critical examination of protective behaviors and health risk behaviors
Analyze and compare factors that influence behaviors
Contents
Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
Tobacco smoking--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
Physical activity---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Diet------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Alcohol abuse------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
Sexual behaviors---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
Health screening----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
Social factors--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
Psychological factors----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
Cultural factors-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Association of personal choices, social settings, and global demographics and health behaviors
outcomes------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
References----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
1
,Introduction
In this section, students will be able to define behavior and explore its relationship with health
outcomes. Students will differentiate health-protective behaviors and health risk behaviors. This
section will then explore the role of social, psychological, and cultural factors that affect
individual and population behavior. Finally, at the end of this section, students will discuss how
personal choices, social settings, and changing global demographics influence health behaviors
and health outcomes.
Behavior is defined as the actions and habits that relate to the maintenance of health, the
restoration of health, and the improvement of health (Gochman 1997 vol 1, p. 3). In discussing
behaviors, it is important to differentiate health risk behaviors and health-protective behaviors.
Health protective behaviors contribute to health benefits and prevent individuals from diseases.
For example, engaging in physical activity, the use of condoms to prevent sexually transmitted
diseases, and consuming a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables. On the contrary, health risk
behaviors are those that are detrimental to health and can cause diseases. For example, excessive
alcohol consumption, consuming a diet high in fat and tobacco smoking.
Tobacco smoking
There is a link between smoking and coronary heart diseases (CHD). Individuals who smoke are
at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease (Saleheen et al., 2017, p.
6). Additionally, cigarette smoking is associated with diseases such as pneumonia (Antwi-
Amoabeng and Islam, 2020, pp. 2). In 1983, the Royal College of Physicians linked smoking to
lung, stomach, and bowel cancers. Smoking is common among individuals with less education
(Kuntz and Lampert, 2013, pp 3023).
2
,Physical activity
Physical activity is a health-protective behavior that can prevent diabetes, obesity and
cardiovascular diseases (Qin et al., 2009, p. 6). Engaging in regular physical activity lowers
blood pressure, increases the metabolism of fats, and carbohydrates as well as improved self-
esteem, and reduced stress and anxiety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).
Nevertheless, a significant proportion of individuals in the population lead a sedentary lifestyle.
In fact, 2 million deaths that occur globally are attributable to a lack of physical activity (cobia,
Vos, and Barendregt, (2009, p. 9). In the UK, the National Health Survey (NHS) indicated that
58 percent of adult women and 47 percent of adult men aged 75 years and above were physically
inactive compared to 19 percent of women and 13 percent of men aged 16 to 24 years. In the
United States, all states and territories were reported to have an estimated range of 17.3 to 47.7
percent of inactive adults from 2015 to 2018 (CDC, 2020). Overall, frequent physical activity is
associated with higher education levels and higher socioeconomic status.
Diet
Research has determined that consuming a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables can
prevent diseases (Sanchez, Norman et al., 2007, p.5). However, in the third world, the problems
related to diet and health is malnutrition. In developing countries, there is the overconsumption
of food and obesity. The World Health Organization estimates that 45 percent of deaths that
occur among children under the age of 5 in developing countries are due to malnutrition. In the
United States, excess calorie consumption has been associated with diabetes, obesity, high blood
pressure, and cancers. For example, 93.3 million U.S adults are obese with a prevalence of 39.8
percent. Furthermore, 13.7 million children in the U.S aged 2 to 19 years are reported to be obese
with a prevalence of 18. 5 percent (CDC, 2018). In the UK, an unhealthy diet has contributed to
3
, obesity. The National Health Survey reports that 1 in 4 adults is obese and 1 in 5 children is
obese (NHS, 2019). Research has established that elevated blood cholesterol can result in the
development of cardiovascular diseases (Zhong et al., 2019, p. 1090). A dietary modification that
includes an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables, with reduced fats and sugars
can decrease morbidity and mortality linked to chronic diseases.
Alcohol abuse
Cancers, diabetes, unintentional injuries, infectious diseases, and liver diseases have been
associated with alcohol consumption (Rehm, 2011, p.137). Chronic diseases manifest due to
continued drinking. Unintentional injuries such as accidents and violence result from excessive
alcohol consumption in a single drinking session. From the year 2006 to 2010, 88,000 deaths in
the U.S were associated with excessive alcohol consumption (CDC, 2019). In the UK, the
alcohol-specific death rate recorded in 2018 was 11.9 per 100,000 (Office of National Statistics,
2019).
Sexual behaviors
Sexual practices can be considered protective or risk behaviors because of their association with
sexually transmitted diseases. More importantly, there has been much focus on the role of sexual
behaviors in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Other sexually transmitted diseases include gonorrhea,
chlamydia, human papillomavirus, and genital herpes. There are 1.8 million cases of chlamydia
in the U.S. This is a 19 percent increase from the year 2014 (CDC, 2019). In the UK, the rate of
chlamydia infection in 2018 was at 392. 1 per 100,000 (Public Health England, 2019). Some
sexual infections may take years to manifest, others are asymptomatic, and others have mild
symptoms. Therefore, infected individuals do not seek treatment. Women are at a higher risk of
4
