• NEW 2025 STUDY DESIGN

Rationale: 

VCE Health and Human Development provides students with broad understandings of health and wellbeing that reach far beyond the individual. Students learn how important health and wellbeing is to themselves and to families, communities, nations and global society. Students explore the complex interplay of biological, sociocultural and environmental factors that support and improve health and wellbeing and those that put it at risk. VCE Health and Human Development offers students a range of pathways including further formal study in areas such as health promotion, community health research and policy development, humanitarian aid work, allied health practices, education, and the health profession.

Unit 1: Understanding and Wellbeing

Area of Study 1: Concepts of health 

In this area of study, students take a broad, multidimensional approach to health and wellbeing. Such an approach acknowledges that defining and measuring concepts of health are complicated by a diversity of social and cultural contexts. Students consider the measurable indicators of population health and look at data reflecting the health status of young Australians. Focusing on youth, students inquire into the reasons for variations and inequalities in health status, including the sociocultural factors that contribute to variations in health outcomes.

•  various definitions of health and wellbeing: physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions

•    prerequisites for health, as determined by the WHO: peace, shelter, education, food, income, social justice, equity, stable ecosystem and sustainable resources

• youth and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on health and wellbeing

•  indicators used to measure health status, such as incidence and prevalence of health conditions, morbidity, rates of hospitalisation, burden of disease, mortality, life expectancy, core activity limitation, psychological distress and self-assessed health status

•  the health status of Australia’s youth

• ·sociocultural factors that contribute to variations in health outcomes for youth, such as peer group, family, education, income and health literacy.

Area of Study 2: Youth health and wellbeing 

On completion of this unit, the student should be able to interpret data to identify key areas for improving youth health and wellbeing, and analyse one youth health area in detail.

• key areas of youth health requiring health action, as indicated by health data

• government and non-government programs relating to youth health and wellbeing

• the following features of one health focus relating to Australia’s youth:

• impact on different dimensions of health and wellbeing

• data such as incidence, prevalence and trends

• risk and protective factors

healthcare services and support

• government and community programs and personal strategies to reduce negative impact

• direct, indirect and intangible costs to individuals and/or communities

 opportunities for youth advocacy and action on a personal and community level to improve outcomes in terms of health and equity.

Area of Study 3: Health and nutrition

In this area of study, students explore food and nutrition as foundations for good health. They investigate the roles and sources of major nutrients and the use of food selection models and other initiatives to promote healthy eating. Students explore the health consequences of nutritional imbalance, especially for youth, and consider the sociocultural and commercial factors that influence the food practices of, and food choices made, by youth. They develop strategies for building health literacy and evaluating nutrition information from various sources, including advertisements and social media.

•   the function and food sources of major nutrients important for health outcomes, such as carbohydrates (including fibre), fats, proteins, water, vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, calcium, sodium and folate

• the use of food selection models and other initiatives to promote healthy eating among youth, such as the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, the Healthy Eating Pyramid and the Health Star Rating system

• sources of nutrition information and methods to evaluate its validity

• sociocultural factors, including commercial factors, that act as enablers of or barriers to healthy eating among youth, with a focus on the tactics used in the marketing and promotion of food to youth.

Unit 2: Managing Health and Development

Students look at changes and expectations that are part of the progression from youth to adulthood. This unit examines adulthood as a time of increasing independence and responsibility, involving the establishment of long-term relationships, possible considerations of parenthood and management of health-related milestones and changes.

Area of Study 1: Developmental Transitions

This area of study examines the developmental transitions from youth to adulthood, with a focus on expected changes, significant decisions, and protective factors, including behaviours.

• overview of the human lifespan

• perceptions of youth and adulthood as stages of the human lifespan

• characteristics of development, including physical, social, emotional and intellectual

• developmental transitions from youth to adulthood

• key characteristics of healthy and respectful relationships and their impact on health and wellbeing, and on development

• considerations associated with becoming a parent, such as changes in responsibilities and relationships, and additional stressors

• the availability of social and emotional support and resources for parents 

• the role of parents, carers and the family environment in determining the optimal development of children, by developing students’ understanding of:

• fertilisation and the stages of prenatal development

• risk and protective factors related to prenatal development, such as maternal diet and the effects of smoking and alcohol during pregnancy

• physical, social, emotional and intellectual development in infancy and early childhood

• the impact of early life experiences on future health and development

• the intergenerational nature of health and wellbeing.

Area of Study 2: Youth health literacy

In this area of study, students investigate the health system in Australia from the perspective of youth and their rights and responsibilities. They examine the functions of various entities that play a role in our health system. Students inquire into equity of access to health services, as well as the rights and responsibilities of youth receiving health care. They research the range of health services in their communities and suggest ways of improving the health literacy and health outcomes of youth.

• key aspects of Australia’s health system used by youth, such as general practitioners (GPs), allied health services, alternative health services, Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)  

• the range of services available in the local community to support the physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions of youth health and wellbeing

• factors affecting youth’s access to health services and information

• rights and responsibilities associated with accessing health services, such as privacy and confidentiality relating to the storage, use and sharing of personal health information and data

• opportunities and challenges presented by digital media in the provision of youth health and wellbeing information, for example websites, online practitioners and digital health apps

• options for consumer complaint and redress within the health system.

Unit 3: Australia’s Health in a Globalised World

Students consider the benefits of optimal health and wellbeing in a local and global context.

Area of Study 1: Understanding Health and Wellbeing

Focuses on health and wellbeing as a global concept and uses this knowledge to evaluate variations in the health status of Australians.

• Dimensions of health and wellbeing and achievement of optimal health.

• Indicators used to measure health status including using data to analyse patterns in Australia over time.

• biological, sociocultural and environmental factors that contribute to variations in health status between population groups 

• Determinants of health and their contribution to Australia’s health status 

Area of Study 2: Promoting Health and Wellbeing

Focuses on health promotion and improvements in population health over time.

• Improvements in Australia’s health status since 1900 and reasons for improvements.

• Australia’s health system.

• The role of health promotion in improving population health.

• programs to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ health, including how they promote social justice

• initiatives to promote healthy eating in Australia, including the Australian Dietary Guidelines, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating

• challenges in bringing about nutritional change, including sociocultural, environmental and commercial factors

• Australia’s health system, including Medicare, private health insurance, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and its role in promoting health in terms of funding, sustainability, access and equity 

Unit 4: Health and Human Development in a Global Context

This unit examines health and wellbeing, and human development in a global context. Students use data to investigate health status and burden of disease in different countries, exploring factors that contribute to health inequalities between and within countries, including the physical, social and economic conditions in which people live. 

Area of Study 1: Health and Wellbeing in a Global Context

Students build their understanding of health in a global context through examining changes in health status over time and studying the key concepts of sustainability and human development.

• the concept of human development

• advantages and limitations of the Human Development Index

• characteristics of low-, middle- and high-income countries

• similarities and differences in health status and human development in low-, middle- and high-income countries, including Australia

• factors that contribute to similarities and differences in health status and human development

•  the concept and dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) and its role in the promotion of health and human development

• implications for health and human development of global trends 

Area of Study 2: Health and the Sustainable Development Goals

Focuses on global action to improve health and wellbeing and human development. 

• the importance of the UN’s SDGs for health and human development in a global context

• key features of SDG 3 (‘Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages’)

• relationships between SDG 3 and SDGs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 12

• goal and objectives of the WHO

• the purpose and characteristics of different types of aid, including bilateral, multilateral and aid provided by non-government organisations providing humanitarian assistance, reducing poverty, improving human development and promoting health)

• the role of Australia’s aid program in supporting the achievement of the SDGs and the partnerships involved

• features of effective aid programs

• ways in which individuals can engage with communities and/or national and international organisations to take individual and social action that promotes health and human development.

Entry: There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4. Units 1 to 4 are designed to a standard equivalent to the final two years of secondary education. 

ASSESSMENT:

Units 1 and 2: Demonstration of achievement in each area of study (5 areas of study) is based on the student’s performance on a selection of assessment tasks. A year-end examination.

Units 3 and 4: Unit 3 school-assessed coursework: 25%    Unit 4 school-assessed coursework: 25%    

End-of-year externally assessed examination: 50%

Contact Time:

Lessons per week: 5 periods

Subject duration: Year Long

PE/ Health/ Outdoor Education Leader:  Dean Collishaw