Changing Our Understanding Of Health — IELTS Reading Answers

Paragraph B

“Health in this sense has been defined as the absence of disease or illness and is seen in medical terms”

Paragraph B defines health in this sense as the absence of disease or illness, seen in medical terms, the physical or biomedical view.

Paragraph C

“Health and the person were seen more holistically (mind/body/spirit) and not just in physical terms”

Paragraph C says health and the person were seen more holistically, mind, body and spirit, and not just in physical terms.

Paragraph D

“While this individualistic healthy lifestyles approach to health worked for some (the wealthy members of society), people experiencing poverty, unemployment, underemployment or little control over the conditions of their daily lives benefited little from this approach”

Paragraph D notes the individualistic healthy lifestyles approach worked for the wealthy but people in poverty or unemployment benefited little.

Paragraph E

“This broad approach to health is called the socio-ecological view of health”

Paragraph E names this broad approach to health the socio-ecological view of health.

Paragraph F

“At the Ottawa Conference in 1986, a charter was developed which outlined new directions for health promotion based on the socio-ecological view of health. This charter, known as the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, remains as the backbone of health action today”

Paragraph F describes the Ottawa Charter, which outlined new directions for health promotion and remains the backbone of health action today.

In which year did the World Health Organisation define health in terms of mental, physical and social well-being?

“In the late 1940s the World Health Organisation challenged this physically and medically oriented view of health. They stated that 'health is a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and is not merely the absence of disease' (WHO, 1946)”

The question asks the year of the WHO definition; the text cites the World Health Organisation, 1946.

Which members of society benefited most from the healthy lifestyles approach to health?

“While this individualistic healthy lifestyles approach to health worked for some (the wealthy members of society), people experiencing poverty, unemployment, underemployment or little control over the conditions of their daily lives benefited little from this approach”

The question asks who benefited most from the healthy lifestyles approach; the text says it worked for the wealthy members of society.

Name the three broad areas which relate to people's health, according to the socioecological view of health.

“While lifestyle factors still remain important, health is being viewed also in terms of the social, economic and environmental contexts in which people live”

The question asks one of the three broad areas; the text names the social, economic and environmental contexts in which people live.

During which decade were lifestyle risks seen as the major contributors to poor health?

“The 1970s was a time of focusing on the prevention of disease and illness by emphasising the importance of the lifestyle and behaviour of the individual”

The question asks the decade; the text says the 1970s focused on preventing disease by emphasising individual lifestyle and behaviour.

Doctors have been instrumental in improving living standards in Western society.

“During this period, there was an emphasis on providing clean water, improved sanitation and housing”

The text describes providing clean water, improved sanitation and housing but never says doctors were instrumental in raising living standards.

The approach to health during the 1970s included the introduction of health awareness programs.

“The 1970s was a time of focusing on the prevention of disease and illness by emphasising the importance of the lifestyle and behaviour of the individual. Specific behaviours which were seen to increase risk of disease, such as smoking, lack of fitness and unhealthy eating habits, were targeted.”

The 1970s saw health promotion programs and policies introduced to help people maintain healthy behaviours and lifestyles.

The socio-ecological view of health recognises that lifestyle habits and the provision of adequate health care are critical factors governing health.

“It is clear from this statement that the creation of health is about much more than encouraging healthy individual behaviours and lifestyles and providing appropriate medical care”

The passage says creating health is about much more than individual behaviours and medical care, so the socio-ecological view does not treat those as critical.

The principles of the Ottawa Charter are considered to be out of date in the 1990s.

“This charter, known as the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, remains as the backbone of health action today”

The Ottawa Charter remains the backbone of health action today, contradicting the claim that its principles are out of date in the 1990s.

In recent years a number of additional countries have subscribed to the Ottawa Charter.

“The broad socio-ecological view of health was endorsed at the first International Conference of Health Promotion held in 1986, Ottawa, Canada, where people from 38 countries agreed and declared that”

The text says people from 38 countries agreed at the 1986 conference but never reports additional countries subscribing in recent years.