Explain how individual and sociocultural factors can adversely affect the health of young people. (8 marks)
--- 24 WORK AREA LINES (style=lined) ---
Show Answers Only
Individual factors
- Individual factors directly influence young people’s health through personal characteristics and behavioural choices that increase risk-taking behaviours.
- This occurs because adolescent brain development affects decision-making capacity and impulse control during critical developmental periods.
- For instance, when young males exhibit higher sensation-seeking tendencies, they engage in dangerous driving behaviours leading to increased motor vehicle accidents.
- This demonstrates why individual risk-taking attitudes contribute significantly to injury-related hospitalisations among teenagers.
Genetic predisposition
- Genetic predisposition creates vulnerability to mental health conditions that emerge during adolescence and early adulthood.
- This happens because family history of depression and anxiety disorders increases likelihood of developing similar conditions.
- Evidence of this includes young people with family mental health history experiencing onset of depressive symptoms during stressful periods.
- The result is higher rates of self-harm and suicide attempts among genetically predisposed adolescents.
Sociocultural factors
- Sociocultural factors generate peer pressure influences that promote unhealthy behaviours and substance experimentation among young people.
- Social media platforms trigger unrealistic body image expectations and cyberbullying experiences that damage self-esteem.
- A clear example is teenage girls developing eating disorders after exposure to idealised social media content.
- Additionally, peer groups normalise binge drinking behaviours during social gatherings, leading to alcohol-related emergency department presentations and risky sexual behaviours among adolescents.
Show Worked Solution
Individual factors
- Individual factors directly influence young people’s health through personal characteristics and behavioural choices that increase risk-taking behaviours.
- This occurs because adolescent brain development affects decision-making capacity and impulse control during critical developmental periods.
- For instance, when young males exhibit higher sensation-seeking tendencies, they engage in dangerous driving behaviours leading to increased motor vehicle accidents.
- This demonstrates why individual risk-taking attitudes contribute significantly to injury-related hospitalisations among teenagers.
Genetic predisposition
- Genetic predisposition creates vulnerability to mental health conditions that emerge during adolescence and early adulthood.
- This happens because family history of depression and anxiety disorders increases likelihood of developing similar conditions.
- Evidence of this includes young people with family mental health history experiencing onset of depressive symptoms during stressful periods.
- The result is higher rates of self-harm and suicide attempts among genetically predisposed adolescents.
Sociocultural factors
- Sociocultural factors generate peer pressure influences that promote unhealthy behaviours and substance experimentation among young people.
- Social media platforms trigger unrealistic body image expectations and cyberbullying experiences that damage self-esteem.
- A clear example is teenage girls developing eating disorders after exposure to idealised social media content.
- Additionally, peer groups normalise binge drinking behaviours during social gatherings, leading to alcohol-related emergency department presentations and risky sexual behaviours among adolescents.
♦ Mean mark 55%.