NCEA Level 3 Health key terms

A Māori concept of health as wellbeing across four interconnected dimensions: taha tinana (physical), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional), taha whānau (social) and taha wairua (spiritual). Balance across all four is what health means.

Mason Durie's model that pictures health as a four-walled house: physical, mental and emotional, social and spiritual sides. If one wall is weak or missing, the whole house is unstable, so all four need attention.

The physical dimension of hauora: how the body functions, grows and is cared for through movement, nutrition, sleep, hygiene and avoiding harm. It also covers physical safety and access to health care.

The mental and emotional dimension of hauora: thoughts, feelings, resilience, self-esteem and the ability to express and manage emotions. It includes mental health and clear thinking under stress.

The social dimension of hauora: relationships with family, friends and community, and the sense of belonging, connection and mutual support these provide. Whānau here means wider kinship and social networks, not only blood relatives.

The spiritual dimension of hauora: a person's sense of meaning, purpose, values, identity and connection to something larger, including culture, faith, ancestors or the natural world. It can exist without religion.

An approach that treats health as the whole person and their context rather than as separate body parts or single diseases. Physical, mental, social, spiritual, cultural and environmental factors are considered together when explaining wellbeing.

The overall state of feeling good and functioning well, covering physical and mental health, satisfaction with life, relationships and purpose. It is broader than simply not being sick and can be measured or self-reported.

A state of wellbeing in which a person can cope with normal stresses, work productively and contribute to their community. It sits on a continuum from flourishing to distressed, not simply 'well or ill'.

A range of experiences such as low mood, anxiety, stress or unusual thoughts that cause difficulty in daily life. It is common, often temporary, and different from a diagnosed mental illness.

The capacity to adapt and keep functioning when faced with stress, adversity or change, and to recover afterwards. It is built through supportive relationships, coping skills, confidence and experience, not a fixed trait.

Deliberate thoughts and actions used to manage stress or difficult feelings. Problem-focused strategies tackle the cause; emotion-focused strategies manage the response. Some, like substance use, are maladaptive because they create new harm.

The physical and emotional response to demands or threats that are perceived to exceed a person's ability to cope. Short bursts can motivate, but prolonged stress harms sleep, immunity and mental health.

Conditions that reduce the chance of harm and support good outcomes, such as strong family relationships, school connectedness, secure housing, cultural identity and access to health services. They buffer risk.

Conditions or behaviours that increase the likelihood of a negative health outcome, for example poverty, bullying, family violence, easy access to alcohol or a lack of safe housing. Risk is cumulative, not destiny.

The conditions that shape health outcomes, including income, education, housing, employment, culture, environment and access to services, alongside individual behaviour and genetics. They explain why health differs between groups.

The social and economic conditions of daily life, such as income, education, housing, employment and social support, that strongly influence health. They are largely outside individual control and can be changed by policy.

Differences in health that are unfair, avoidable and rooted in social arrangements rather than biology. For example, Māori and Pacific peoples experience worse outcomes for many conditions despite similar needs.

A measurable difference in health status between groups or individuals. Not every inequality is unfair, but when it arises from avoidable disadvantage it becomes an inequity requiring action.

Fairness in health outcomes, achieved by giving people what they need to reach good health rather than treating everyone identically. Equity differs from equality, which gives the same to all regardless of need.

A framework that explains behaviour and health as shaped by interacting levels: individual, interpersonal, organisational or community, and societal or policy. Effective action usually targets several levels at once.

A 1986 World Health Organization statement that defines health promotion as enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. It names five action areas, including healthy public policy and supportive environments.

The process of enabling individuals and communities to increase control over the determinants of health and thereby improve their health. It combines education, policy, environments and community action rather than advice alone.

Planned learning experiences that build knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to make health-enhancing choices. It works best when supportive environments and services make the healthy choice the easy choice.

The ability to find, understand, judge and use health information to make decisions and act on them. Low health literacy is linked to poorer self-management and greater use of emergency care.

Actions that maintain or improve health, such as regular physical activity, balanced eating, adequate sleep, safe sex and avoiding tobacco. These choices are influenced by environment and social context, not willpower alone.

Actions that increase the risk of harm, such as heavy drinking, smoking, unsafe driving, poor diet or unprotected sex. They often serve a purpose for the person, such as belonging or coping with stress.

Policies and practices that reduce the harm from risky behaviour without requiring the person to stop, for example needle exchanges, safe-drink strategies or supervised consumption. It prioritises immediate safety and dignity.

A chronic condition in which a person keeps using a substance or behaviour despite significant harm, with craving, loss of control and withdrawal. It involves changes in brain reward systems and is treated as a health issue.

Negative labelling and stereotyping that marks a person or group as different or less worthy, often attached to mental illness, addiction or certain diseases. It causes shame and can stop people seeking help.

Unfair treatment of people because of a characteristic such as ethnicity, gender, disability, age or health status. It can be direct, indirect or systemic, and it harms both health and access to services.

Practice in which a person receives care that respects and is shaped by their own culture, and in which the provider examines their own power and assumptions. It was developed in Aotearoa New Zealand by Māori nurses.

A person's sense of belonging to a culture, including language, values, customs, whakapapa and shared history. Strong cultural identity is associated with better wellbeing and is a protective factor for young people.

Actions taken to speak up for, or support people to speak for, their rights, needs and access to services. It can target individuals, communities or decision-makers and is a core health promotion strategy.

A higher chance of harm because of personal or environmental conditions, such as age, illness, poverty, isolation or discrimination. Vulnerable groups often need targeted support to reach the same health outcomes.

A lack of money and resources needed for a basic standard of living. Material hardship limits healthy food, warm housing and health care, making it one of the strongest drivers of health inequity.

The experience of belonging to and being supported by relationships and community. Strong connection protects mental health, while loneliness is linked to poorer physical and mental outcomes.