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HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 124

Outline how the interaction of socioeconomic and biomedical determinants could adversely affect the health of an individual.   (3 marks)

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  • Low-income individuals with genetic predisposition to diabetes cannot afford regular blood glucose monitoring or healthy food options. This leads to poor disease management and increased risk of complications such as kidney disease and cardiovascular problems.
  • A person with lower limb amputation from a low socioeconomic background may lack access to quality prosthetics and rehabilitation services. This causes reduced mobility, increased risk of secondary injuries and social isolation affecting mental health.
  • Individuals with hereditary high cholesterol in financially disadvantaged families cannot afford cholesterol-lowering medications or heart-healthy diets. This increases their risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke at younger ages.
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  • Low-income individuals with genetic predisposition to diabetes cannot afford regular blood glucose monitoring or healthy food options. This leads to poor disease management and increased risk of complications such as kidney disease and cardiovascular problems.
  • A person with lower limb amputation from a low socioeconomic background may lack access to quality prosthetics and rehabilitation services. This causes reduced mobility, increased risk of secondary injuries and social isolation affecting mental health.
  • Individuals with hereditary high cholesterol in financially disadvantaged families cannot afford cholesterol-lowering medications or heart-healthy diets. This increases their risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke at younger ages.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 116

Outline TWO inequities related to biomedical factors of health in Australia and suggest one way each could be addressed.   (4 marks)

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Socioeconomic status

  • People living in the lowest socioeconomic areas have significantly higher rates of uncontrolled high blood pressure compared to those in the highest socioeconomic areas.
  • This could be addressed through targeted community health programs offering free blood pressure screening and management education in lower socioeconomic areas.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status:

  • Indigenous peoples are four times more likely than other Australians to have diabetes or pre-diabetes.
  • This could be addressed through culturally appropriate diabetes prevention programs. These initiatives should be led by Aboriginal health workers, focusing on early detection, management, and include traditional approaches to nutrition and physical activity.
Show Worked Solution

Socioeconomic status

  • People living in the lowest socioeconomic areas have significantly higher rates of uncontrolled high blood pressure compared to those in the highest socioeconomic areas.
  • This could be addressed through targeted community health programs offering free blood pressure screening and management education in lower socioeconomic areas.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status:

  • Indigenous peoples are four times more likely than other Australians to have diabetes or pre-diabetes.
  • This could be addressed through culturally appropriate diabetes prevention programs. These initiatives should be led by Aboriginal health workers, focusing on early detection, management, and include traditional approaches to nutrition and physical activity.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 115

  1. Describe what is meant by biomedical factors as determinants of health.   (2 marks)

  2. Outline THREE biomedical risk factors that can influence health outcomes for Australians and how these risks might be addressed by an individual.   (3 marks)
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a.    Biomedical factors as determinants of health:

  • Biomedical factors are easily observed bodily markers that identify a person’s risk of disease and health potential.
  • Testing for these markers can be done through common medical procedures such as blood tests, genetic screening and MRI’s. 
  • Biomedical risk factors interact with lifestyle behaviours to either protect health or increase disease susceptibility.
  • These factors can be considered limited because while they identify risks of disease, they don’t take into account other dimensions of health.
     

b.   Answers could include:

  • Genetics significantly influences health by determining a person’s susceptibility to various diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Down syndrome (trisomy 21). Once known, people can actively mitigate the risk factors through lifestyle choices.
  • Blood pressure levels affect cardiovascular health, with approximately one-third of Australian adults living with high blood pressure (hypertension). Lifestyle changes, such as more physical exercise, can help reduce an individual’s blood pressure and risk of heart attack.
  • Cholesterol levels, particularly the balance between HDL and LDL cholesterol, impact heart health and cause coronary heart disease if not managed properly. An improved diet that reduces saturated fat intake, is an effective way to address this biomedical risk factor.
Show Worked Solution

a.    Biomedical factors as determinants of health:

  • Biomedical factors are easily observed bodily markers that identify a person’s risk of disease and health potential.
  • Testing for these markers can be done through common medical procedures such as blood tests, genetic screening and MRI’s. 
  • Biomedical risk factors interact with lifestyle behaviours to either protect health or increase disease susceptibility.
  • These factors can be considered limited because while they identify risks of disease, they don’t take into account other dimensions of health.
     

b.   Answers could include:

  • Genetics significantly influences health by determining a person’s susceptibility to various diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Down syndrome (trisomy 21). Once known, people can actively mitigate the risk factors through lifestyle choices.
  • Blood pressure levels affect cardiovascular health, with approximately one-third of Australian adults living with high blood pressure (hypertension). Lifestyle changes, such as more physical exercise, can help reduce an individual’s blood pressure and risk of heart attack.
  • Cholesterol levels, particularly the balance between HDL and LDL cholesterol, impact heart health and cause coronary heart disease if not managed properly. An improved diet that reduces saturated fat intake, is an effective way to address this biomedical risk factor.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 020

Explain how a person's biomedical factors and health behaviours might interact to affect their cardiovascular health.   (5 marks)

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*PEEL – Solution is structured using an adjusted PEEL method to show cause and effect: [P] State the cause/factor [E] Show how it causes the effect [Ev] Evidence demonstrating why/how [L] Reinforce the causal relationship.

**Language highlighting the cause-effect relationship is bolded in the answer below.

  • [P] Genetic high cholesterol can combine with dietary choices, causing adverse health effects.
  • [E] It can lead to either controlled or dangerous cholesterol levels in blood vessels.
  • [Ev] This occurs because eating saturated fats adds to genetic cholesterol production, whereas better diets such as the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, can reduce it by 30%.
  • [L] This shows a clear connection between inherited risk factors, daily food choices and heart disease
     
  • [P] A person’s genetic cardiovascular capacity interacts directly with their exercise habits.
  • [E] This causes improved or declining heart muscle function.
  • [Ev] As a result, people exercising 150 minutes weekly strengthen their hearts and lower resting heart rate, while inactive people with poor genetic cardiovascular capacity develop weak hearts.
  • [L] These elements work together to determine overall cardiovascular strength and endurance.
     
  • [P] Stress hormone production has an important connection with coping behaviours.
  • [E] This interplay can produce healthy or poor blood pressure levels.
  • [Ev] The reason for this is high level coping mechanisms can significantly lower cortisol levels (and blood pressure) while poor stress management keeps hormones elevated, damaging arteries and producing high blood pressure.
  • [L] This demonstrates why biological stress response and behavioural management techniques have a material impact on heart attack and stroke risk.

Show Worked Solution

*PEEL – Solution is structured using an adjusted PEEL method to show cause and effect: [P] State the cause/factor [E] Show how it causes the effect [Ev] Evidence demonstrating why/how [L] Reinforce the causal relationship.

**Language highlighting the cause-effect relationship is bolded in the answer below.

  • [P] Genetic high cholesterol can combine with dietary choices, causing adverse health effects.
  • [E] It can lead to either controlled or dangerous cholesterol levels in blood vessels.
  • [Ev] This occurs because eating saturated fats adds to genetic cholesterol production, whereas better diets such as the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, can reduce it by 30%.
  • [L] This shows a clear connection between inherited risk factors, daily food choices and heart disease
     
  • [P] A person’s genetic cardiovascular capacity interacts directly with their exercise habits.
  • [E] This causes improved or declining heart muscle function.
  • [Ev] As a result, people exercising 150 minutes weekly strengthen their hearts and lower resting heart rate, while inactive people with poor genetic cardiovascular capacity develop weak hearts.
  • [L] These elements work together to determine overall cardiovascular strength and endurance.
     
  • [P] Stress hormone production has an important connection with coping behaviours.
  • [E] This interplay can produce healthy or poor blood pressure levels.
  • [Ev] The reason for this is high level coping mechanisms can significantly lower cortisol levels (and blood pressure) while poor stress management keeps hormones elevated, damaging arteries and producing high blood pressure.
  • [L] This demonstrates why biological stress response and behavioural management techniques have a material impact on heart attack and stroke risk.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 015 MC

A 35-year-old male is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes despite maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. His doctor explains that his condition is related to his body's inability to produce insulin.

Which determinant of health is primarily responsible for his condition?

  1. Health behaviours
  2. Biomedical factors
  3. Environmental factors
  4. Socioeconomic characteristics

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\(B\)

Show Worked Solution
  • B is correct because diabetes is a biomedical factor \(\Rightarrow\) it relates to physiological and pathological processes in the body.

Other options:

  • A is incorrect because the scenario explicitly states that despite healthy behaviours, the man developed diabetes.
  • C is incorrect as there is no indication of environmental influence in this case.
  • D is incorrect as socioeconomic status is not mentioned as contributing to the condition.