Option: The Health of Young People

5 dot points across 4 inquiry questions, in syllabus order. Each dot point has a focused answer, with exam-style questions and worked answers where available.

What are the determinants of young people's health?

Determinants of health for young people: individual factors (knowledge and skills, attitudes), sociocultural factors (family, peers, media, religion, culture), socioeconomic factors (employment, education, income), environmental factors (geographic location, access to health services and technology)

Determinants. Individual, sociocultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors that shape young Australians' health outcomes.

6 min read →

How are the health needs of young people met?

Support for young people: protective factors that promote youth health (family, friends, school, community, sense of purpose), the roles of health professionals, peer support, and self-care

Support for young people. Protective factors (family, friends, school, community, purpose), the roles of health professionals, peer support, and self-care.

6 min read →

What are the major issues affecting the health of young people?

Drug use: patterns of drug use among young people (alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, illicit drugs), factors contributing to drug use, consequences of drug use, harm minimisation

Youth drug use. Current Australian patterns for alcohol, tobacco, vaping, cannabis and other illicit drugs, the factors that drive use, consequences, and the harm minimisation framework.

7 min read →

Mental health: factors contributing to youth mental health (resilience, sense of control, body image, social media, stress), the role of help-seeking behaviour

Youth mental health. Resilience, sense of control, body image, social media, stress, and the help-seeking gap that drives outcomes.

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In what ways is the health of young people in Australia changing?

The nature and extent of the major issues affecting the health of young people in Australia, including mental health, body image and eating disorders, drug use, road safety, sexual health

Major issues. Current Australian data on youth mental health, body image, drug use, road safety, and sexual health, with sources.

7 min read →