Bell Ringer Open your student workbook and turn to page 57. Under the heading Journal Entry, list at least 4 things that you do to keep your body healthy. Then choose one of these actions and write a few sentences about how you think it will help keep you healthy during your lifetime.

Unit 3: Abstinence, Personal & Sexual Health Lesson 4: Getting Help to Stay Healthy

Healthy Behavior Outcomes Seek out help for common infectious diseases and chronic diseases and conditions. Seek out health care professionals for appropriate screenings and examinations.

Lesson Objectives Summarize important health screenings, immunizations and examinations necessary to maintain good health. Explain why it’s important to seek help and treatment for common infectious and chronic diseases. Determine when professional health and wellness services may be required. Describe how to evaluate the validity and reliability of personal health and wellness information.

Preventive health care is an important part of staying healthy. It is important to understand your risk factors for preventing chronic diseases. Changing these risk factors can help you prevent a disease before it develops. Staying healthy is seeing a health care provider for preventive health care.

Raise your hand if you have seen a health care provider of some sort within the past year. What are some examples of different health care providers?

Summary It makes sense to see a health care provider when you are sick or think something is wrong with your health. Even if you are not feeling ill, getting regular checkups or yearly physical exams is a way to help catch any potential health problems early. Sometimes a health exam is required to participate in certain activities.

Why is blood pressure screening done every time you go to the doctor? Why might a blood test be done? Why might a urine test be done?

Summary Blood pressure testing is done so that hypertension or high blood pressure, can be detected. Blood test might be done for a variety of reasons. These might include testing for cholesterol, blood sugar levels, blood-borne illnesses such as hepatitis or HIV. Urine test can help screen for kidney disease, diabetes or certain pathogens.

What does it mean to be immune to something?

Summary To be immune means to be protected or not susceptible to harm from something. Your body’s immune system works to fight off infectious diseases so you won’t be harmed by them. One of the ways to protect yourself from infectious diseases is to be up to date on vaccines or immunizations. Vaccines help the immune system to fight diseases in the future.

Do you know which immunizations, or vaccines, you have had to help protect you from some common infectious diseases?

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap)- This is one vaccine for all 3 of these diseases. It is given at age 11 or 12. Tetanus vaccine is recommended every ten years. Tetanus- A disease caused by bacteria that are found in the soil. Diphtheria- A bacterial disease that causes fever and a coating of the air passages that make it hard to breathe. Pertussis- a disease commonly referred to as whooping cough that causes severe fever.

HPV (human papillomavirus) –This is a series of 3 shots HPV (human papillomavirus) –This is a series of 3 shots. Experts recommend it be given at age 11 or 12, and to teens who were not vaccinated earlier. The vaccine protects against the types of HPV that can cause cancers and genital warts. Influenza –This vaccine is given every year to protect against the flu. There are also vaccines against bacterial meningitis, measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox.

Sometimes it is hard to decide whether you need to see a health care provider or not. You may not want to go if it is unnecessary, but on the other hand, you may be worried that a health problem might get worse. Knowing how to evaluate some common symptoms can help you decide when you should try to do things at home to care for yourself and when it is important to see a doctor.

Self-Care or See a Doctor Turn to page 10 in your student workbook. You will use this page, (page 10), as a guide to answer the questions on page 12 of your student workbook.

How many of you have ever looked up a health topic on the Internet?

What are some reasons a person might go online to get health information?

Summary You might be looking for: Information about health conditions, such as colds, or the flu, and advice on how to treat them. Advice on whether you need to see a health professional about a symptom or condition. Ways to be healthier. A quick opinion on a health product or service you are thinking about buying or using. Health information to help yourself or someone else.

What do you think makes online health resources so popular today?

Summary With the internet, many people can be reached at once, and information about many different topics is instantly available. Online resources are popular with people who are looking for health information, because they can quickly and easily find expert opinions and advice for free, or buy health products and services over the Internet.

Summary (cont.) Health professionals like that the Internet allows them to offer accurate, appropriate and reliable health information, advice and services in their field of training and expertise.

My Guide for Evaluating Health Websites Turn to pages 11 in your student workbook. As we discuss these questions, use your activity sheet to take notes and create a guide for yourself to use when you go online.

Who created the Website? What does the URL tell me? Was the website created by an individual or commercial company (.com), a government agency (.gov), a university or other school (.edu), or a nonprofit organization (.org). Websites that end in .gov, .org or .edu are likely to be more reliable than commercial or private websites.

What’s the website’s point of view? Is the website based on one person’s opinion or is it backed up by facts? Where does the information on the website come from? Is the website trying to get people to believe or do something? Does the information make sense?

When was the website created or updated? How new is the information? Has the website been updated recently? Is the date easy to find? Do the links within the website or to other websites still work?

Who is the website for? Does this website meet my needs? Is the information easy to understand? Is the information meant for teens? Adults? The general public? Professionals who work in the field?

Close How many of you have a doctor or other health care provider you trust and would recommend? Why do you trust this provider and what’s one way he or she has helped you stay healthy?