Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 2
HUMAN HEALTH
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HUMAN HEALTH
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Subject: Science
Class: JHS 2
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 7
Grade code: B8.5.2.1.1
Strand code: 5
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: B8.5.2.1
Indicator code: B8.5.2.1.1
Theme: HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Subtheme: HUMAN HEALTH
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Grade: JHS2 Overview and Learning Objectives Overview (Why this matters) Human health is about keeping our bodies and communities safe from diseases. In Ghana, communicable diseases such as hepatitis, HIV, and measles can spread in homes, schools, markets, and through unsafe practices (e.g., sharing sharp objects, unprotected sex, poor sanitation, low immunisation). Understanding symptoms (what we observe), and effects (what the disease causes in the body, family, and community) helps learners to seek early treatment, prevent spread, and reduce stigma.
A. Key Definitions Health: A state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not only absence of disease. Disease: A condition that affects normal body functioning. Communicable disease: A disease that can be transmitted from one person to another (directly or indirectly). Non-communicable disease: A disease that is not spread person-to-person (e.g., hypertension, diabetes). Symptom: A sign or feeling that shows a person may be ill. Examples: fever, headache, tiredness, vomiting, rash. Effect: The result/impact of the disease on the body and life. Examples: liver damage, weakness, missed school, death, financial burden. Prevention: Actions taken to stop infection or reduce spread (e.g., immunisation, safe sex, handwashing). B. How communicable diseases spread (Transmission routes) Understanding transmission helps explain why symptoms appear and why effects occur. Blood and body fluids: HIV, hepatitis B and C (e.g., unsafe injections, sharing blades, unprotected sex). Faecal–oral route (contaminated food/water): Hepatitis A, cholera (poor sanitation). Airborne/droplet: Measles, TB (coughing/sneezing in crowded places). Mother-to-child: HIV, hepatitis B (during pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding—depending on disease and treatment). Contaminated objects (fomites): Some infections can spread via shared items (e.g., towels, cups) especially when hygiene is poor.
C. Disease Focus 1: Hepatitis (especially Hepatitis A and B) What is hepatitis? Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver helps to: clean toxins from blood, store energy, help digestion (bile production), support immunity.
When the liver is inflamed, many body functions are affected. Common causes (risk factors) Hepatitis A: contaminated food/water; poor sanitation; not washing hands after toilet. Hepatitis B: contact with infected blood/body fluids: unprotected sex, sharing needles/syringes, sharing blades/razors at barbering shops, unsafe tattooing/piercing, mother-to-child transmission. Symptoms of hepatitis (what you may observe) Symptoms can be mild at first. Fever Tiredness/weakness Loss of appetite Nausea/vomiting Abdominal pain (especially right upper side) Dark urine Pale/whitish stool Jaundice (yellow eyes/skin) — a key sign of liver problems Itchy skin (sometimes) Effects of hepatitis (what it can cause) Effects on the body: Liver damage (inflammation can progress to scarring) Cirrhosis (hardening/scarring of liver) especially in chronic hepatitis B/C Liver failure (severe cases) Liver cancer (long-term chronic infection, especially hepatitis B) Severe weakness and malnutrition due to poor appetite
Effects on life/community: Missed school/work due to illness and clinic visits Financial burden on family (tests, treatment) Fear and stigma if community misunderstands transmission Risk of spreading infection through unsafe practices