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Health and well-being is a rich thematic area combining vocabulary, debate, and real-world issues. Physical health : nutrition, exercise, sleep, preventive healthcare vs curative. Mental health : depression, anxiety, stress, burnout — increasingly recognised as equal to physical health. Mental health stigma : the reluctance to seek help or discuss mental illness due to social judgement. Global health : infectious diseases (malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, COVID-19), non-communicable diseases (heart disease, cancer, diabetes). Universal health coverage : access to healthcare without financial hardship — SDG 3. Lifestyle choices : smoking, alcohol, diet, screen time, exercise — individual vs systemic responsibility. Healthcare systems : public vs private, universal vs insurance-based. Senegal's health system : challenges (access in rural areas, limited resources) and progress (vaccination campaigns, community health workers). Key vocabulary : well-being, stigma, epidemic, pandemic, vaccination, malnutrition, preventive medicine, universal health coverage, mental health.
Exercise 1 : Discuss.
1. Why is mental health still stigmatised in many societies?
2. What are the main obstacles to universal healthcare in Africa?
3. Is it the government's or the individual's responsibility to ensure good health?
Exercise 2 : Write a balanced essay (250 words):
'Governments should ban junk food advertising to protect public health. Discuss.'
What is mental health stigma and how can it be reduced?
Correction
Mental health stigma is the negative social judgement, discrimination, and shame associated with mental illness, which discourages people from seeking help. It can be reduced by: (1) public education campaigns normalising mental health conversations; (2) celebrity and public figures speaking openly about their experiences; (3) integrating mental health into school curricula; (4) training healthcare workers and community leaders; (5) reducing media portrayals that associate mental illness with violence or weakness.
What is universal health coverage (UHC)?
Correction
Universal health coverage (SDG 3) means all people can access the health services they need — prevention, treatment, rehabilitation — without facing financial hardship. Currently, billions of people lack access to basic healthcare. Barriers: cost, geographic distance (rural areas), lack of trained workers, weak health systems. UHC can be funded through public taxation, social insurance, or international aid.
Individual choice or systemic responsibility — who is responsible for good health?
Correction
Both are responsible. Individual responsibility: choosing to exercise, eat well, avoid smoking. But systemic factors shape individual choices: people in poverty cannot afford healthy food; communities without safe spaces cannot exercise safely; advertising pushes unhealthy products. A balanced view: individuals must make healthy choices, but governments must create environments that make healthy choices accessible, affordable, and easy for everyone.