This semester course prepares students with the skills to access valid health information and to identify the impact of family, peers, culture, media and technology on health behaviors. Through these skills, students are able to develop a functional knowledge of the core health concepts of personal and consumer health, mental and emotional health (consisting of decision-making, stress reduction, and suicide prevention), nutrition and fitness (in which dietary factors for high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity are addressed), family life and human sexuality, first aid and safety (which includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation training), substance abuse prevention with an emphasis on coping with peer pressure and abstaining from drug use, and disease prevention and control which encompasses cancer, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS. The family life and human sexuality unit requires prior written parental permission. All students are required to complete the Health Issues course to satisfy the half credit graduation requirement. Students cannot earn credit for this course by examination.
