WHAT IS GOOD HEALTH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?
Variations in the development stage of young people
Although we can group young people under one label, they are in fact a diverse group in terms of characteristics and background:
· Rate of physical development – individuals mature at different rates; growth spurts affect some earlier than others
· Level of motivation – level of motivation can is a result of their mental attitude and their emotion maturity
· Socioeconomic Background – wealth impacts the opportunities to young people
· Sociocultural Background – multicultural mature of the Australian society
What other factors influence young people?
Influence of Family and Peers
The influence of family can differ for young people in Australia. E.g. some families place a strong emphasis on the obligation to care for the elderly relatives or younger siblings
Communication and shared respect between parents and son and daughters becomes important in dealing with issues that arise during adolescence.
Influences of the peer group grows during adolescence due to increased time spent with peers, influences can be either:
· Positive – when peers support each other in not smoking
· Negative – when they encourage each other to take risks on the road
The influence of prevailing youth cultures
Historically, as young people search for identity, youth cultures based on similar language, interests, dress and music have been developed. In some cases, the media has escalated these cultures to broad popularity, e.g. hippies in the 60s. Whereas others may be local youth cultures that take hold with smaller groups of young people.
Within youth culture there are a variety of different subcultures or subgroups that have their own district identity, for example, skate culture, surf culture and emos.
What other factors influence young people?
Youth cultures can be a powerful influence on the behaviour of young people because these groups:
· Confirm a young person’s identity
· Enable young person to express their feelings about the world around them
· Are a way for a young person to resist the established order
· Create a language and lifestyle to live by for young people – excluding adults and non-members
· Dictate behaviour, looks, styles that identifies themselves to society
Influence of Global Events and Trends
Globalisation, technological advances and improved communication will strongly influence how young people view the world hence their health. Young people are often involved in forums and debates around issues relevant to their health, for example, changes to driving restrictions or the 2020 summit to gather ideas for creating a sense of future for young people. Examples of global events and trends that may influence the lives of young people include fashion, climate change, world economic downturn, recreational activities, music, sport, advances in technology (iPhone, mp3 players and multimedia)
Influence of Technology...