Bodies, thinking and feeling

This unit would appeal to students from a wide range of disciplines including Psychology, Social Work, International Development and Global Studies, Theology, Business and Commerce, Health and Community Development, Nursing, Arts, Laws, and Education.

This unit examines ideas and issues about bodies, sex and gender in the contexts of:

• Childhood, adolescence, relationships, parenthood, families and communities;
• Physical and social environmental factors that impact on the mind and body;
• Biological, behavioural and physical determinants of health;
• Risks and protective factors and rights and responsibilities;
• Sexual life stages, sexual health and sexual preferences;
• Fertility;
• Current trends, such as:
  • The use of complementary or alternative medicine
  • Body modification
  • Eating disorders
• Addictive behaviours, habits and sleep;
• Stress and trauma, depression, emotional health, chronic pain, mental health, aggression and violence;
• Ageing; life expectancy and an aging population; and
• Impacts of relationships, family and community environments on health.

This unit will include site visits in the central Sydney Business District such as:

• a traditional Chinese medicine clinic;
• practicing herbalists; and
• a meditation centre.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

• Examine how our rapidly changing world is creating new challenges to the achievement of health of both body and mind (e.g. ageing population, accepted sexual practice, modern illnesses, extended family)
• Describe how changes occurring through our lifespan influence mental and physical health
• Investigate modern trends that may influence the well-being of Australians, including increased utilization of non-western medical treatments, fertility treatments, ageing population
• Demonstrate knowledge of how physical and social aspects may have negative impact on our health, including stress, addiction, depression etc

Anderson, P., (2012) Silent Body – Vibrant Mind, Melbourne: Brolga Publishing

Bendelow, G. (2009) Health, Emotion and the Body, John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Brannon, L. and Feist, J., (2009) Introduction to Health Psychology, Frenchs Forest, Pearson Education Australia

Donatelle, R. J., (2011) Access to Health (12th ed), Pearsons Higher Ed USA

Jones, J., and Creedy, D. (2012) Health and Human Behaviour, Oxford University Press

Morrison, V., (2009) An Introduction to Health Psychology (2nd ed), Pearson UK

Smith, J., (2007) Australia’s Rural and Remote Health: A Social Justice Perspective (2nd ed), Pearsons Australia

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228341.500-your-clever-body-thinking-from-head-to-toe.html Accessed: January 26 2013

http://health.nih.gov/ Accessed: January 26 2013

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/ Accessed: January 26 2013

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/category/policy-areas/public-health/ Accessed: January 26 2013