Introduction

The Conventional Understanding of

Health and Its Alternatives

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The sex of an individual is an example of a health relevant feature of _______.
   1. hosts
   2. agents
   3. risks
   4. predisposing conditions
2. The science of explicating the causes and variations in the frequency of health outcomes is called _______.
   1. phrenology
   2. oncology
   3. epidemiology
   4. demography
3. High blood pressure is properly understood as a ________.
   1. cause of heart disease
   2. necessary consequence of aging, weight gain, sedentary behaviour, and poor diet
   3. disease
   4. risk factor for heart disease
4. Indigenous people all over the world generally ________.
   1. have similar life expectancies to those of the non-indigenous populations
   2. live three to five years longer than non-indigenous people due to diet and lifestyle
   3. live three to five years less than non-indigenous people due to diet and lifestyle
   4. live six or more years less than non-indigenous people due to social factors
5. The seminal 1974 Canadian government working paper that called into question the importance of health care for the health of Canadians is referred to as the ________.
   1. Lalonde Report
   2. Epp Report
   3. McKeown Report
   4. Ottawa Charter

True or False Questions

1. A person’s health is largely a function of his or her personal choices.
2. Focusing on the individual and his or her susceptibility to a bad heath outcome lends itself to moralizing.
3. A threat to health, “a risk factor,” is properly understood to be a cause of disease.
4. The Epp Report famously called for a reduction in health inequities between high- and low-income Canadians.
5. Population health focuses on the interrelated conditions and factors the influence the health of populations over the life course.

Short Answer Question

What are your expectations of this course?

Essay Question

1. Do you believe if you adopt a healthy lifestyle, eat a varied high-quality diet, and get lots of exercise and sleep, that you will improve your life expectancy, reduce your risk of disease, and enhance your wellbeing? Why? Can you think of some reasons why a healthy lifestyle might not make much difference? In light of your answers, how should we approach the goal of improving the health of Canadians?