CHAPTER 3
B E I N G A H E A LT H L I T E R AT E C O N S U M E R
LESSON 1 – MAKING CONSUMER CHOICES
1. Define the term health consumer.
• Anyone who purchases or uses health products or services.
2. List 2 ways you can become an informed health consumer.
• Learning about health products and services.
• Learn to judge their effectiveness and reliability.
3. Give 2 examples each of internal and external factors that might influence your
decision to buy specific products and services.
• Internal = habit and personal taste.
• External = opinions of others, cost, advertising, and media.
4. Define the term media.
• Various methods of communicating information.
LESSON 1 - CONTINUED
5. What is advertising?
• Written or spoken media messages designed to interest consumers in
purchasing a product or service.
6. In the first column, list 6 advertising techniques. In the second column, describe
the message hidden in each technique.
• Bandwagon = everyone is using it, you should too.
• Rich and famous = it will make you feel rich and famous.
• Free gifts = it’s too good a deal to pass up.
• Great outdoors = it must be healthy if it is associated with nature.
• Good times = product will add fun to your life.
• Testimonial = it worked for them, so it will work for you.
LESSON 1 - CONTINUED
7. Define the term comparison shopping.
• Method of judging the benefits of different products by
comparing quality, features, and cost.
8. List 6 criteria to consider when you compare products and services.
• Cost.
• Features.
• Quality.
• Warranty.
• Safety.
• Recommendations.
LESSON 1 - CONTINUED
9. What is a warranty?
• A company or store’s written agreement to repair a product
or refund your money should the product not work.
10. What does it mean if an electrical appliance has the UL logo on it?
• The product has strict safety standards.
11. What service do Snell and American National Standards Institute
provide?
• Monitor safety standards for helmets and other safety
equipment.
12. List 6 things that are listed on product labels.
LESSON 1 - CONTINUED
• Product’s name.
• Intended use.
• Directions for use.
• Precautions and warnings.
• Amount in container.
• Ingredients.
13. List 6 rights you have as a consumer.
• Right to safety.
• Right to choose.
• Right to be informed.
• Right to be heard.
• Right to have problems corrected.
LESSON 1 - CONTINUED
14.What are 3 points to consider when shopping online?
Include a disadvantage associated with each point.
• Price: the cost of shipping is usually additional.
• Convenience: items to be returned must be
repackaged and mailed.
• Product information: only view a picture can’t
examine or try it.
LESSON 2 – CHOOSING COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
1. What does a health care system include?
• All medical care available to a nation’s people.
• The way they receive care.
• The method of payment.
2. Answer the following questions about types of health care services.
What is a primary care physician?
• Medical doctors who provide physical checkups and general
care.
List 2 health care professionals other than physicians who provide
general care.
LESSON 2 - CONTINUED
What is a specialist?
• Medical doctors trained to handle particular kinds of
patients or medical conditions.
Define the term preventative care.
• Actions that prevent the onset of disease or injury.
Give 2 examples of preventative care.
• Check up (school physical).
• Oral exam.
LESSON 2 - CONTINUED
3. Describe the difference between inpatient and outpatient care.
• Inpatient care requires the patient to stay at the facility overnight.
• Outpatient care allows the patient to be treated and return home
the same day.
4. List 6 types of health care facilities.
• Private practices.
• Clinics.
• Group practices.
• Hospitals.
• Emergency rooms.
• Urgent care centers.
LESSON 2 - CONTINUED
5. Answer the following questions about health insurance.
What is health insurance?
• A plan in which private companies or government programs
pay for part or all of a person’s medical costs.
What is a premium?
• A fee for coverage.
What does the term out-of-pocket expense mean?
• An expense the patient must pay for.
What is a deductible?
• The amount a member must pay in out-of-pocket expenses
before the plan will pay for medical expenses.
LESSON 2 - CONTINUED
6. List 3 types of managed health care plans.
• Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs).
• Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs).
• Point of Service (POS) plan.
7. What is the federal government's medical insurance program called?
• Medicaid.
8. Describe the care provided by each of the following.
Birthing Centers
• Homelike settings that involve family members in the
delivery of a baby.
LESSON 2 - CONTINUED
Drug Treatment Centers
• Treat people with drug and alcohol problems.
Continuing care and assisted living facilities
• Short and long tem care for people help with daily
tasks, no medical care.
Hospices
• Provide care for people who are terminally ill.
Telemedicine
• The practice of medicine over distance through
telecommunications.
LESSON 2 - CONTINUED
9. What is medical history?
• Complete and comprehensive information about
your immunizations and any health problems you
have had to date.
10.List 3 tips to use to help you make the most out of a
medical appointment.
• Write down why you are there.
• Ask questions.
• Inform of allergies and of other medicine.
LESSON 3 – MANAGING CONSUMER PROBLEMS
1. List 3 things you should do before you attempt to return a defective product.
• Make sure you are using the product correctly.
• Decide if you want a replacement or your money back.
• Return item in original packaging.
2. Answer the following questions about fraud.
What is fraud?
• Deliberate deceit or trickery.
What is health fraud?
• The sale of worthless products or services that claim to prevent
diseases or cure other health problems.
LESSON 3 - CONTINUED
List 2 types of products that are particularly susceptible to health fraud.
• Weight loss products.
• Beauty and anti aging products.
3. List a fraudulent medical treatment.
• Offering a miracle cure for arthritis or cancer.
4. Define the term malpractice.
• Failure by a health professional to meet accepted standards.
5. When is it advisable to seek a 2nd opinion for medical treatment?
• When you have any major health concern.
LESSON 3 - CONTINUED
6. List 4 types of consumer groups that might be able to help
you resolve a problem with a product.
• Business organizations.
• Consumer advocates.
• Government agencies.
• Small claims court.
7. What are the core services of the better business bureau?
• Dispute resolution.
• Truth in advertising complaints.
LESSON 3 - CONTINUED
8. Answer the following questions about consumer advocates.
What is a consumer advocate?
• People or groups whose sole purpose is to take on
regional, national, and even international consumer
issues.
List 3 roles that consumer advocate play.
• Protecting consumer when problems arise.
• Expose fraud.
• Teach consumers about their rights and
responsibilities.
LESSON 3 - CONTINUED
9. Complete the sentences below with the name of the federal agency
that provides the service described.
The Federal Trade Commission works to prevent false or deceptive
advertising.
The Food and Drug Administration ensures that medicines are safe,
effective, and properly labeled.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission protects consumers
against harmful products.
10. Explain what small claims court is.
• State courts that handle legal disputes involving amounts of
money below a certain limit.
LESSON 4 – UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
1. Define the term public health.
• A community wide effort to monitor and promote the welfare
of the population.
2. What do state, county, and city health departments focus on?
• Disease prevention.
3. Complete the following sentences by inserting the name of the federal
agency described. Do not use the acronyms.
• The National Cancer Institute is the federal government’s principal
agency for cancer research.
• The Environmental Protection Agency is charged with protecting
the country’s air, water, and land.
LESSON 4 - CONTINUED
• The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health
Administration works to prevent injuries and safeguard the health of
workers across the country.
• The United States Department of Agriculture has food stamp,
school lunch, and school breakfast programs.
• The Food Safety and Inspection Service , which is an agency of the
USDA, is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products.
• The Department of Health and Human Services oversees more
than 300 health-related programs.
• The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services , which is an
agency in the DHHS, administers federal insurance programs.
LESSON 4 - CONTINUED
• The Food and Drug Administration ensures the safety of food, drugs,
and cosmetics.
• The National Institutes of Health conduct medical research and fund
medical research carried out at state institutions.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration provides programs that aid substance abusers and
people with mental/emotional problems.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct research
and collect data that helps control the spread of diseases.
• The Federal Trade Commission works to promote fair competition
in the nation’s market.
LESSON 4 - CONTINUED
4. List 3 specific oversight functions of local health departments.
• Standards of water and sewage systems.
• Waste disposal.
• Sanitation of restaurants.
5. Define the term epidemiology.
• The scientific study of patterns of disease in a population.
6. What is WHO and what is its function?
• World Health Organization.
• Explain transmission.
• Prevention.
• Warning signs.
LESSON 4 - CONTINUED
7. How does the International Committee of the Red Cross provide for public health
on a global scale?
• Provides emergency aid to victims of armed conflict.
• Disease outbreaks.
• Natural disasters.
8. List 6 ways teens can advocate for public health.
• Follow health and safety laws. (immunizations)
• Set an example.
• Avoid risk behaviors.
• Get involved.
• Inform proper authorities.