Here is a reminder of a key quote underpinning the importance of this content, as well as the key questions and plan for this module overall. We are now in lesson 2.
“Nurturing yourself is not selfish – it’s essential to your survival and your wellbeing.”
Renee Peterson Trudeau
Key questions
- Do you know what health challenges face young people in particular?
- Do you know how to take responsibility for your health and wellbeing?
- How can making the right choices now set you up for the future?
Within this module, we’re going to cover;
Lesson 1
- Taking responsibility for monitoring personal health and wellbeing
- Breast awareness and self-examination
- Sun safety
- Dental health
Lesson 2
- Evaluating media messages about health
- Registering with and access health services in new locations
- Recognise illnesses that particularly affect young adults
- Meningitis
- Mumps
- Freshers flu
Lesson 3
- Maintaining a healthy diet on a budget
- Work-life balance
- Wrap up
- Want to learn more?
Lets get into it!
Evaluating media messages about health
Throughout your life you will have to make health decisions for yourself and your family. The decisions you make will influence your overall well-being as well as the quality of your care. People who learn as much as they can about their choices often are more confident about the decisions they make. In general, people who work with healthcare professions when making decisions are happier with the care they receive and the results they achieve.
Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions in the modern era. Childhood vaccines alone prevent between 3.5 and 5 million deaths every year across the globe.
Vaccination teaches the body’s immune system how to fight germs. It’s an essential tool, particularly in the preschool years before children turn 6. But vaccines aren’t just for little kids. Children 7 to 18 years old and adults 19 or older should keep up with vaccines, too.
Misconceptions about vaccines have existed for many years, leading to unfounded doubts about their safety and effectiveness. During the first year of the pandemic, there was a spike in missed appointments and a decrease in childhood vaccination rates. If you aren’t up to date, it’s time to catch up on the necessary vaccines.
The following are some simple steps for you to follow when you have a health decision to make;
- Know your options; tell your doctor that you want to share in making the decision. Ask your doctor to clearly state the decision that needs to be made and what your choices are.
- Get the facts; Learn all about each option by using resources like the library, your doctor, and reliable websites you can trust. Make sure the information you collect is based on sound medical research, not the results of a single study or facts published by a company that will profit by your using its product.
- Consider what matters to you; Consider your own needs and values and what you hope for as the best possible outcome. Talk with family members and others who will be affected by your decision. Then sort out the information you’ve gathered. Make a list of pros and cons as you see them for each option.
- Make an action plan; After you have made a decision, find out what you can do to make sure that you will have the best possible outcome. Write down the steps that you need to take next. Remember, when you share in making a decision, you share the responsibility for the outcome.
AVOID using social media as a guide. Social media has played a pivotal role in polarising views on politics, climate change, and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. Social media is constructed in such a way that it often develops firstly, confirmation bias (reinforcing one’s attitudes and beliefs) and secondly, echo chambers (i.e., hear their own voice). For these reasons it is unlikely to enhance your decision making.
Registering with and access health services in new locations
Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery to access NHS services and it’s free to register. You do not need proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number. GP surgeries are usually the first contact if you have a health problem. They can treat many conditions and give health advice, and they can also refer you to other NHS services.
Most people need to register with a surgery close to where they live. You can use the Find a GP service to look for a surgery; https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp
A GP surgery can refuse to register you if:
- they’re not accepting new patients
- you live outside their area and they only accept patients inside this area
- you have been removed from that surgery before
If a GP surgery refuses to register you, they must write to you within 14 days explaining why. You can change your GP surgery if you need to. This might be because:
- you’ve moved
- you’ve had problems with your current GP surgery
- you were removed from the patient list
When you register with a new GP surgery, you’ll usually get a message to tell you your registration has been successful. Your medical records will be transferred from your old GP. This can take up to 28 days.
Recognise illnesses that particularly affect young adults
Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges). It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through sneezing, coughing or kissing. It is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but are not ill themselves. It can also be caught from someone with meningitis, but this is less common.
Meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly. It can cause life-threatening sepsis and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves.
A number of vaccinations are available that offer some protection against meningitis.
Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:
- a high temperature (fever)
- being sick
- a headache
- a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop)
- a stiff neck
- a dislike of bright lights
- drowsiness or unresponsiveness
- seizures (fits)
These symptoms can appear in any order. You do not always get all the symptoms. Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E immediately if you think you or someone you look after could have meningitis or sepsis.
Trust your instincts and do not wait for all the symptoms to appear or until a rash develops. Someone with meningitis or sepsis can get a lot worse very quickly.
Call NHS 111 for advice if you’re not sure if it’s anything serious or you think you may have been exposed to someone with meningitis.
Mumps
Mumps is a contagious viral infection that used to be common in children before the introduction of the MMR vaccine. Mumps is most recognisable by the painful swellings in the side of the face under the ears (the parotid glands), giving a person with mumps a distinctive “hamster face” appearance. Other symptoms of mumps include headaches, joint pain, and a high temperature, which may develop a few days before the swelling of the parotid glands.
It’s important to contact a GP if you suspect mumps so a diagnosis can be made.
While mumps is not usually serious, the condition has similar symptoms to more serious types of infection, such as glandular fever and tonsillitis.
Your GP can usually make a diagnosis after seeing and feeling the swelling, looking at the position of the tonsils in the mouth and checking the person’s temperature to see if it’s higher than normal.
Freshers flu
Fresher’s flu is the name for an illness that typically grips students during their early university days. It’s not actually flu, and instead is a catch-all term for the conditions that individuals may experience during this time, including colds and other viruses. As students share communal living spaces and spend a lot of time in each other’s company, germs can spread easily, meaning many people can be affected quickly. Over time, students become more immune, helping to prevent reoccurrences in the future.
Colds and other viruses can be difficult to prevent, especially when there are a lot of people interacting with each other closely. However, good hygiene and self-care can go a long way to keeping you healthy during your time at university.
The NHS recommends if your flu symptoms don’t improve after 7 days, or you develop some severe symptoms, seek medical advice.