Where did you last spend your

money?
What item did you buy? Why?
What kind of service did you
last avail?
Who recently shared with you
a new health information?
These are only a few of the
things that concern you as
adolescents. Decision-
making is an important skill
that you must learn in order
to live a healthy and normal
life.
CONSUMER

HEALTH
CONSUMER HEALTH
aims to develop a person’s
ability to evaluate and
utilize health information,
products and services
wisely and effectively.
All of us are consumers.
We acquire health
information, purchase
health products, and avail
health services to
appraise, improve and
maintain our health.
Health information is any
idea that we hear from
people around us, read from
books and other printed
materials, or from the media
that influence our health.
Health
Health products are
items that we consume to
improve our well-being,
like medicine, food,
clothes, furniture,
electronics, etc.
Health services are programs we
avail from various providers such
as physicians, nurses, therapists,
health workers, hospitals, clinics,
and the government. Some
examples of these health services
are insurance, treatment and cure,
complementary and alternative
medicine.
In this light, we must all be
educated consumers who make
wise selection of information,
products, and services that are
scientifically proven and legally
approved. It is our duty to
evaluate and examine the
reliability of the sources.
 A teenager once went to the local
market to buy materials for a Science
project. Upon passing by some stalls, he
was invited for a free orientation on the
latest product of a company.
The company was selling “health
rings” that can detect the mood of a
person and help lower body temperature
and blood pressure. The teenager was
easily attracted, which made him buy two
health rings for himself and his sister. He
spent Php 600 for the items.
 After a week, the teenager
and his sister developed red spots
and rashes on their fingers. Upon
checking, the rings are observed
to have rust around them. The
teenager wants to file a complain
so the company may return his
money.
1. What is the nature of the teenager’s problem?
____________________________________________________

2. Who can help him with his problem?

______________________________________________________

3. What rights protect the teenager?

______________________________________________________

4. What would you ask yourself before buying a health product to avoid
the same experience?
______________________________________________________

5. As a Grade 10 student, how can you help the teenager?

______________________________________________________
• 1. the teenager’s problem was about a fraudulent sale
of a product in the store.
• 2. the teenager may report to the business owners or
to the authorities of the store/establishment through
a formal letter of complaint.
• 3. under the consumer act, all consumers are
protected by the right to correct information and
redress. The manufacturer should replace the
malfunctioning product or return the money used of
the consumer.
• 4. you may consider criteria in selecting a product: its
health content, ingredients, source, etc.
• 5. a grade 10 student may help the teenager by
directing him/her to the proper individuals who may
give help.
 SURVEY SAYS!
1. Go around the classroom and ask a classmate to answer each question. 3.
2. Record the responses.

a. What should I do when my head and body

ache?
b. How many times should I take vitamin and
mineral supplements?
c. What is the best way to make my skin
smooth?
d. When is the best time to trip your
fingernails?
e. What is the most effective way to lose
weight?
a. Which of your classmates’
answers do you agree with?
Which do you disagree with?
Why?
b. What kind of information is
being asked? Is it critical? Why?
c. Who can accurately answer
these questions?
Consumer health has three
components: health
information, health products,
and health services.

What you have gathered from

your classmates is health
information.
Health information plays a big
role in the life of individuals.
“It is information that people
require to make wise choices
and decisions about their
health or the health of [other
people]” (Galvez Tan, et al.,
2009)
Health information is any concept,
step, or advice that various sources
give to aid the health status of an
individual. The type of information
varies depending on “diseases, sexual
health, weight loss/gain, drugs and
alcohol, depression/mental illness,
violence, smoking, eating disorders,
acne/skin care, local clinics, and sexual
assault” (Payne, et al., 2005).
The information is critical as it may alter
the health conditions of a person.
Another important characteristic of
health information is that it is
continuously and rapidly changing. Thus, it
“should be timely, relevant, culturally
appropriate, accessible, and delivered in a
relevant format” (Galvez Tan, et al.,
2009). There is a great need to update
oneself regarding current research and
evidence available in the field.
 Aside from health information,
people also consume health products.
Health products are food, drugs,
cosmetics, devices, biologicals, vaccines,
in-vitro diagnostic reagents, and
household/urban hazardous substances
and/or a combination of and/or a
derivative thereof (FDA Act, 2009).
These products may be purchased from
various places like supermarkets,
pharmacies, and hospitals.
List five examples of health products
that people consume.

HEALTH
PRODUCTS

How do these products affect the overall

well-being of an individual?
People acquire health
information and products
from various sources like
people, media, and
technology. It is important
to identify the reliability
of these sources.
Reliable sources of health
information and products are
licensed professionals who took up
specialized and intensive studies in
the field. They are the ones who
have the qualified educational
background and can give scientific
explanation to validate information.
We can also find reliable health
information from health books,
 We can also find reliable
health information from health
books, and accredited online
sources.
On the other hand, unreliable
health sources of info. and
products are those from people
who re not experts in the field.
Health services are often connected
to healthcare. These programs aim to
appraise the health conditions of
individuals through screening and
examinations, cure and treat disorders,
prevent and control the spread of
diseases, provide safety, emergency care,
and first aid, and ensure a follow-up
program for individuals who have
undergone treatments.
Health services are
usually offered by
healthcare providers.
A healthcare provider is
a trained professional who
provides people with
healthcare.
There are different types of healthcare
providers,
1.Health Professionals
Individuals who are licensed to
practice medicine and other allied
health programs. An example of a
health professional is a physician. A
physician records the medical history of
individuals, provides diagnoses,
performs medical examinations, and
prescribes medications. There are
different types of physicians based on
their area of specialization
What are the different types of physicians?
Match the type of the physician with the
area of specialization below.
Cardiologist dermatologist
gastroenterologist geriatrician
gynecologist neurologist
orthopedist ophthalmologist
pediatrician pulmonologist
urologist
Healthcare practitioners and allied health
professionals are also considered health care
providers.
A healthcare practitioner is an
independent healthcare provider who is
licensed to practice on a specific area of
the body.
Some examples of healthcare
practitioners are podiatrists (who
specialize in the problems of the feet),
dentists, and optometrists. professionals.
An allied health professional
is a trained healthcare
provider who practices under
the supervision of a physician
or healthcare practitioner.
Nurses, dieticians,
pharmacists, and physical
therapists are examples of
allied health professional
2. Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare facilities are places or
institutions that offer healthcare
services.

There are different types of healthcare

facilities.
a.Hospital
b.Walk-in Surgery
c.Health Center
d.Extended Healthcare Facility
a. Hospital
It is an institution where people undergo
medical diagnosis, care and treatment. A
hospital offers different types of medical care
like inpatient and outpatient care.
Inpatient care refers to care given to
individuals who need to stay inside the hospital
to receive proper treatment, monitoring and
care.
Outpatient care refers to treatment that does
not require an individual to stay inside the
hospital.
There are different kinds of hospitals:
private, voluntary, government, and teaching
Private hospital is operated by individuals to gain
profit.

Voluntary hospital does not require profit because it

is owned by a community or an organization.

Government or public hospital is being run by the

state and the treatment fees are subsidized.

Teaching hospital includes a school for medical

students.
Two classifications of hospitals:
General and Specialty

General hospitals have complete

medical, surgical, and maternal care
facilities. Some examples are the
Philippine General Hospital, Baguio
General Hospital, Cebu General
Hospital, and Davao Medical Center.
Specialty hospitals handle a
particular disease or condition or
deal with only one type of patient.
Some examples are the Philippine
Heart Center, Lung Center of the
Philippines, and National Kidney
Transplant Institute.
b. Walk-In Surgery Center
It is a facility that offers surgery without
the patient being admitted in the hospital.
c. Health Center
The services in a health center cater to a
specific population with various health
needs.
d. Extended Healthcare Facility
A facility that provides treatment, nursing
care, and residential services to patients,
often the elderly.
3. Health Insurance
Is a financial agreement
between an insurance company
and an individual for the payment
of healthcare costs. This also may
pertain to a protection that
provides benefits for sickness
and injury.
It offers various types of coverage:

Medical insurance pays for the fees of the

health professionals, laboratory tests, and
prescription drugs.
Major medical insurance offers payment for
long-term or chronic diseases such as AIDS and
cancer.
Hospitalization insurance pays for the stay of
the patient inside the hospital. Surgical
insurance pays for surgery fees.
Disability insurance provides financing for
members who meet accidents or suffer from
illnesses.
 Health insurance may be sourced
from both public and private companies.
An example of public health insurance
is PhilHealth. As mandated by law in the
country, employees of both public and
private companies avail of PhilHealth.
It requires a small monthly
contribution from its members. These
contributions are saved and used for
the medical care needed by a
PhilHealth member.
 A health maintenance organization
(HMO) is a healthcare provider that
offers medical services that are availed
through a prepaid amount of money. It
is a business that requires a relatively
reduced monthly fee for subscribers.
The difference of an HMO with other
insurance companies is that it hires or
trains its own health professionals and
healthcare practitioners.