VCE Health and Human Development- Unit 1 Determinants of Health La Toya

What is Access to Education? Access to Education is determining weather or not an individual has appropriate Access to proper Education. Individuals may not be able to access appropriate access to education because of:- - Geographical Barriers - Social/Cultural Factors - Socioeconomic Reasons

Why is ‘Access to Education’ considered to be a determinant of Health? ‘Access to Education’ is considered to be a determinant of Health because having good Access to Education results in further opportunities for youths to develop knowledge and skills that will prepare youths for the future. It is not just primary school that will educate you and prepare you for the future, but Secondary School and Institutes such as Universities and TAFE courses.

What is the issue? The issue with ‘Access to Education’ is the fact that some youths are not receiving the education that they should be such as schooling, not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t have a choice. As said earlier, youths may not be able to access education because of Geographical Barriers, Social/Cultural Factors and Socioeconomic Reasons. In a nutshell, the more education that an individual has, the more opportunities that youth will have for developing knowledge and skills that prepare you for a successful and healthy future.

Geographical Barriers Those in rural and remote areas of Australia may find it difficult to get to a school because they may be located hundreds of kilometres away from a school or other recreational facilities. For example, youths that live on farms, excluded from the town or city, may not be able to find a way to school everyday because busses may not run as far out as they live. This could affect the youth intellectually because of having very little or no Access to Education.

Social/Cultural Factors Some parents may not place importance on formal schooling and as a result, will have their child homeschooled, with very little or no formal schooling. This could affect the individual socially because of not having many friends or a social life.

Socioeconomic Reasons Some individuals may not be able to meet the costs associated with education; in particular territory education. This may influence the decision on weather or not to continue with formal study. An example of this would be youths parents being un employed- no job to earn money, to afford to send their child to school or parents not placing importance on their child's education therefore not worrying about formal or non formal schooling. Socioeconomic Status: A measure of an individuals or families economic and social position within society relative to others, usually based on education, employment and income.

Youths with Higher levels of Education Youths with higher levels of education have lower levels of illness and better mental health than those with lower levels of education. Those with higher levels of education are more likely to have safe and secure jobs with better pay which can lead to lower levels of stress and more income to pay for things such as Private Health Insurance and an adequate food supply. This all leads back to the Socioeconomic Status. Mental Health: The state of well being in which the individual realises his of her abilities, can cope with the normal stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community

Youths with Lower Levels of Education Youths with lower levels of education result in a possibility of higher levels of illness and disease than those with higher levels of Education. Youths with lower levels of education result with a poor job, if any job at all, resulting in not income to pay essential things such as Private Life Insurance and good food to eat. Having lower levels of education can also promote negative awareness of healthy awareness such as smoking and no physical activity. Youths could also socialise with lower maintenance groups or ‘gangs’; developing bad habits, giving them a bad reputation, affecting them socially and mentally because individuals may become depressed because of a bad reputation, also believing that they cannot get any help, linking to possibly violence- believing that violence could be a way to deal with their problems, leading to other negative acts.

Why do Indigenous Aboriginals have less Access to Education? It has been stated that: Indigenous individuals are systematically excluded, discriminated against and are simply too poor to afford Access to Education. (Socioeconomic Reasons; not being able to afford education. These facts could affect the Indigenous individual severely. Individuals could suffer from strong depression because of being teased of their race and also the fear of rejection from other individuals. They could have a very poor education because of little or no Access to Education, leading to an unsucessful future, with a posibility of being passed onto their children

How does Access to Education affect Physical Health? Access to Education can have both positive and negative affects on Physical Health. Negative Physical Activity: Not having the motivation to exercise; leading to possible weight increase and risks of obesity. The Immune System and other bodily functions: Having a bad job, earning little income and not being able to buy a healthy food supply; resulting in no choice but to buy ‘bad foods’, with bad substances affecting the Immune System. Positive Physical Activity: P.E subjects can help individuals keep physically active and fit, motivating youths to continue with their love of sport which may even lead to a future career of becoming a personal trainer or coach.

How does Access to Education affect Social Health? Bad habits/reputation: Not going to school can promote unhealthy and bad habits, including smoking, and the formation of ‘gangs’. Home school: Being homeschooled with no formal schooling can affect Social Health because of having very little or no friends. Not going to school at all can affect all the dimensions of health. Developing Friendships: Obviously, going to school, youths are going to develop positive friendships, making them emotionally happy all the time. Education: Later on in life after attending school, university or TAFE courses, individuals will have a positive job and good social relationships with staff and other workers.

How does Access to Education affect Mental Health? Homeschooled/no school at all: Individuals may be happy or sad to be missing out on school and education. Mental Health: Youths may be depressed or severely upset about missing out on socialising with friends and family, also there may be feelings of loneliness. State of Mind: Going to school, uni of TAFE courses will certainly give individuals a positive state of mind and obviously a good Mental education because of a good education.

Note That... Not all affects are negative, sometimes a negative can result to a positive affect, not just for Mental Health, but for Social and Physicals too. For Example, a youth that is not going to school because of Socioeconomic reasons and as a result being homeschooled. The youth may be depressed about having no social life, the individual may then talk to parents that may reconsider the importance of their child's mental and social health, deciding to send them to school. The youth will then be socially happy with friends, mentally happy and physically active because of involvement in physical activity.

Bibliography - KEY CONCEPTS in VCE Health and Human Development Units 1 and 2 - Internet