Health and Wellness: Personal Responsibility for Action (Coursework Sample)

          FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE (FEL)    2016     MPU3313   HEALTH AND WELLNESS                     MATRICULATION NO.       :        920629125380001 IDENTITY CARD NO.          :        920629-12-5380 TELEPHONE NO.                  :      016-8396253 E-MAIL                                    :      [email protected] LEARNING CENTRE           :      Sabah Learning Centre

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS	PAGE
INSTRUCTIONS	2
QUESTION 1	3-5
QUESTION 2	6-7
QUESTION 3	8-10
QUESTION 4	11-13
QUESTION 5	14-16
REFERENCES	17-18

INSTRUCTIONS

• Do not copy the assignment question and instructions to your answer.
• Prepare your assignment answer following the layout of the ASSESSMENT CRITERIA shown in the RUBRICS provided for the course. Where RUBRICS are not provided, follow the instructions/guidelines specified by the Faculty for the assignment concerned.
• Your assignment should be between 2500 to 3000 words EXCLUDING references.
• Type your answer using 12 point Times New Roman font and 1.5 line spacing.
• Show the number of words at the end of your assignment.
• Tables and figures where provided, should be appropriately titled.  
• List your references separately in the APPENDIX page.

ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS   Question 1 According to utilitarian perspective of health and wellness, an individual should take personal responsibility to enhance his/her quality of life (Resnik, 2014). We have to learn to accept responsibilities for our lives by respecting our true nature as a human being, which is taking charge of our own destiny.   As an individual is responsible for his/her quality of life, there are three attributes which impact the individual’s responsibilities for attaining and maintaining health and awareness. They are as follows:  

1. Personal Responsibility for Action

All individuals have played a role in causing their own health and quality of life. For instance, an avid smoker might be held largely responsible for developing lung cancer. In cases where the individual has developed a disease, it is due to the reason that the individual himself/herself played a role in causing that disease as he/she is responsible for maintaining optimum health. Hence individuals need to differentiate the two risk factors that have an impact over their overall health status. These factors are as follows (Refer to table 1.1):

Modifiable Risk Factors	Non-modifiable Risk Factors
Defined as factors that are within the control of an individual. He/she can take action to reduce the risks of contracting/developing diseases, for instance, choosing to refrain from smoking in order to reduce/prevent the risks of lung cancer.	Defined as factors that are not within the control of an individual. For example, increased vulnerability to certain diseases such as heart disease, due to significant hereditary/genetic risk factors.

Table 1.1 Modifiable Risk Factors vs. Non-modifiable Risk Factors   After realizing modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, individuals would be able to make firm decisions and take control of their lifestyles by deterring negative behaviours that will hinder them from achieving an optimum health condition. For instance, chances of developing Type II Diabetes may rely on factors like hereditary, environmental influences (fast food advertisements) or even life choices (e.g. smoking, not exercising, etc.).  

1. Concern for Others

Health and wellness choices of an individual are largely impacted by societal elements as well. Compared to hermits, extroverted individuals tend to have a better state/sense of wellness and are good role models for people who desire to participate in wellness enabling activities but are shy to show their interests. This is due to the fact that this group of people usually exposes themselves to a variety of social interactions, being able to adapt and improvise to alternating situations as they feel comfortable in connecting socially while still committed to their health goals.   People-centred individuals display their respect and concern for other people around them by showing a caring attitude, usually through words and actions. Thus, they tend to be non-judgemental and more socially aware of variations in health issues among others around them as they do not impose their own values, but instead act in a socially responsible manner to blend in with like-minded individuals with similar wellness goals. For example, participating in voluntary work in all sorts of health organizations or plan health awareness campaigns with respected community members can raise health awareness among others and make positive, practical difference to other people’s lives.  

1. Health Awareness and Sound Decision-making

Through the development of self-control, health awareness and decision making skills, individuals can then manage to sustain their wellness state over a period of time. These individuals are usually people who consciously make healthy life choices and choose to manage their time effectively for health-oriented activities that are within their means of attaining.   Sound awareness of health related knowledge and personal limits play a vital role in sustaining a fitness program. Decision making processes are supported by informed healthy life choices based on facts, which help to sustain an individual’s interest, determination and persistence in wellness activities over a longer period of time. For instance, individuals should seek professional help or advices in order to understand what is known, as well as what is not known, so they will be able to make informed decisions according to their own treatment/wellness preferences.   In a nutshell, individuals should gather adequate and accurate health-related information either by reading articles/book/journals about health or through consultation with a health practitioner in order to make informed choices for a customized wellness program. Getting a proper medical check-up and sort out any other health issues would be the first step towards attaining and maintaining health and wellness.
Question 2 The term wellness can refer to the full integration of states of physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Though many people associate their health/wellness to their physical health, it can also be used to describe seven other dimensions of health, namely, physical, mental, spiritual, occupational, environmental, financial, emotional and social (Community, 2016). These different dimensions of health act and interact together to help contribute to our own quality of life.   Physical health involves any of the aspects that are necessary to keep an individual’s body in top condition (“Dimensions of Health”, 2016). It also refers to learning about different types of diseases and their symptoms, participating in beneficial physical activities/exercises as well as eating healthily. In order to ach...