Download Being a Wise Health Consumer

Section 4
Being a Wise
Health Consumer
Section 4
Objectives
䊳
Describe how to evaluate
health products, services,
and information.
䊳
Evaluate what advertising
does and does not do for
a consumer.
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Explain how a person can
avoid health fraud.
Objectives
Before class begins, write the objectives
on the board. Have students copy the
objectives into their notebooks at the
start of class.
䊳
1. Focus
Identify your rights as
a consumer.
Vocabulary
Warm-Up Advice Line
Call on a few students to share their
written responses. Discuss how they
might find out whether the more
expensive shampoo is worth the
extra cost without having to buy it.
(ask people who have tried it; look
for a consumer report on shampoos)
Tell students that they will learn how
to evaluate health-related products,
services, and information.
•
•
•
•
•
consumer
warranty
advertising
fraud
quackery
Being a Wise
Health Consumer
Dear Advice Line,
I buy a brand-name shampoo that costs
twice as much as the store brand. The
ads for the expensive shampoo say that
it keeps your hair healthier. My mother
says that the store brand is
just as good. Who is right?
Which shampoo
would you buy and why?
Making Healthy Consumer Choices
Young children do not decide when to visit a doctor or which brand of
cough syrup to buy. When they become ill, they don’t search the Internet
looking for information about the illness. Young children have limited
opportunities to be consumers. A consumer buys products or services
for personal use.
As a teen, you are making more decisions about your health, including which products and services to use. So you need to know how to
evaluate the products, services, and information you are offered.
Teaching Transparency W4
Products Picture the aisles in a local drugstore. How many of those
aisles contain products that could affect your health? More than you
might guess. Some of the items are obvious—snack foods, sports drinks,
personal care products, and vitamins. There are medicines for treating
indigestion, allergies, headaches, and colds. There are household cleansers
and pest-control products, which contain substances that are harmful if
inhaled or ingested. There are magazines with articles about health and
advertisements for health-related products.
18
Chapter 1
and Health
L3 Proportions
Tell students that they have a choice of
three brands of pain relievers. The three
brands have the same strength, so they
should choose the brand with the lowest
unit price. Brand A costs $3.99 for 60 pills,
brand B costs $2.49 for 35 pills, and
brand C costs $4.59 for 75 pills.
18
Chapter 1
Ask: Which brand has the lowest unit
price? (Brand C has the lowest unit price,
or price per pill. The unit price of brand
C is $4.59 ⫼ 75 pills ⫽ $0.06 per pill. The
unit prices of the other two brands are
calculated the same way and equal $0.07
per pill.)
2. Teach
L3 EL Reading/Note Taking 1-4
American teens spend
more than 100 billion
dollars each year.
L2 Adapted Reading/Note Taking 1-4
Making Healthy
Consumer Choices
EL Cooperative Learning
Some products are consumable, meaning they
need to be purchased again and again. Examples are
hair care and skin care products, weight loss products, and
sports drinks. The marketing of many consumable products is aimed
toward teens and young adults. The makers of these products often claim
that using them will improve your personal appearance or your physical
performance. They may also suggest that a product will improve your emotional or social well-being.
Some products are durable, meaning they are meant to last for a
number of years before they wear out. Most sports equipment is durable.
Having the right equipment and protective gear is essential when you take
part in an organized sport, such as football, or an extreme sport, such as
snowboarding. The right equipment is also important when you exercise
to maintain fitness. Some factors to consider before buying a product
are its safety, cost, warranty, and consumer testing.
䊳
Safety Read the product labels and other information supplied with
the product to determine its contents and possible safety issues. Does
a food contain a substance to which you are allergic? Must the product be used only in a room that is well ventilated, as when the
windows are open?
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Cost Check to see if there are other brands or other products that
will give you the same results at a lower cost.
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Warranty Is there a warranty, an offer to repair or replace the product if there is a problem? If so, how long is it good for and what does
it cover?
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FIGURE 10 This teen is shopping
for a helmet to wear while he is
skateboarding. Predicting What
factors do you think he should
consider before making a
purchase?
L3 Building Health Skills
Practicing Healthful Behaviors Have
students find two brands of a healthrelated product. Ask students to
compare the two brands with regard to
the factors listed in the text and select
the brand they think is the better buy.
Then, have students write a paragraph
explaining their choice. Call on a few
volunteers to read their paragraphs to
the class. Discuss which factors most influenced students’ decisions.
Visual Learning: Figure 10
Caption Answer Sample answer: type
of helmet, safety features, cost, and
warranty
Connect to Allow students to answer
YOUR LIFE this question in their
Consumer Testing Some government agencies and private groups
test a wide range of consumer products. They publish their results
and recommendations. Groups may endorse, or approve products
that rate highly on their tests. By doing so, the group is saying that
the claims made for the product by the manufacturer are true.
Connect to
YOUR LIFE
Pair up students. Give each pair an
advertising flyer from a store that sells
both consumable and durable products.
Have students classify the products to
demonstrate their understanding of the
terms consumable and durable.
private journals.
What kind of questions do you ask before you buy
a product?
Making Healthy Decisions 19
L1 Special Needs
Show students empty product packages or
package inserts that illustrate all the factors to consider before buying a product
(safety, cost, warranty, and consumer testing). Ask students to find information
relating to each factor by looking over the
packaging materials. Explain how to use
the information to decide whether to buy
the products.
Making Healthy Decisions
19
Chapter 1, Section 4
Visual Learning: Figure 11
Caption Answer I could find out if the
classes offered are appropriate for my
needs and if the instructors are attentive
and knowledgeable.
L2 Building Health Skills
Communicating If any students attend
fitness and recreation programs offered
by local non-profit organizations, ask if
they would be willing to be interviewed
about these programs. Challenge
students to ask the kinds of questions
wise consumers might ask when they
contact a reference for a service.
A fitness
center is an example of
a health-related service.
Predicting How could
attending a class as a guest
help you to decide whether
to join a fitness center?
FIGURE 11
Services You probably don’t get to choose your doctor or dentist. But
you do get to choose some services that can affect your health. For example, if you choose the wrong nail salon, you might develop an infection.
If you choose the wrong health club, you might end up with an injury
because of poor advice from a trainer.
When you evaluate a service, you need to find out whether the
person who will perform the service is qualified. Whether you choose
a service on your own or use a service chosen for you, there are questions
you should ask.
L3 Addressing Misconceptions
Infomercials Ask students if they know
what an infomercial is (a long commercial designed to look like an educational
news program or talk show). By using
this type of format, the producer hopes
to convince viewers that the information
being presented is reliable. Explain that
few, if any, health-related products sold
through infomercials will do everything
the infomercial promises they will do.
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What kind of education and experience does the person have? Does the
person have the required educational degree, license, or certification?
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Does the person have references? Ask for the names and telephone
numbers of people who have used the service.
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Have any complaints been filed with your state’s Attorney General?
Information Before you purchase a product or service, you need to
evaluate the information you receive about it. Is it accurate? Is it useful?
You need to ask the same type of questions about any health information
you receive. To evaluate health information, you need to evaluate the
source of the information.
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Is the source qualified to speak on the topic?
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Does the source bring a bias, or slant, to the topic? For example, are
they trying to sell a product or service?
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Are there other reliable sources that reach the same conclusion?
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Is the information current and up to date?
Government agencies, medical associations, and non-profit private
health groups often provide reliable information. So do reporters who
specialize in science and health topics.
20
Chapter 1
Focus On ISSUES
L3 Debate: Advertising and Health
Including all media, the average teen sees
between 20,000 and 40,000 advertisements
each year. Have groups of students support
and oppose the following premise: Viewing
advertisements has a major influence on
teen behavior and health.
20
Chapter 1
You might want to have students narrow the
focus of the debate to advertisements for
particular types of products. For example, do
advertisements for “junk” foods contribute
to obesity? Does seeing advertisements for
alcohol make drinking seem appealing?
The Effects of Advertising
The Effects of Advertising
L3 Journal Writing
Businesses spend millions of dollars each year on advertising because they
want to attract customers. Advertising is the public promotion of a product or service. Ads appear on television and radio, in newspapers and
magazines, on billboards, and in movie theaters. They also pop up on the
Internet. Everyone is influenced to some extent by advertising. But as a
consumer, you need to base your choices on facts, not on advertisements.
Ads can let you know what products and services are available, but
they rarely provide the information you need to make wise choices. For
example, an ad may say that a certain medicine contains an ingredient
that most doctors recommend. The statement may be true. However, this
ingredient is likely to be found in all similar medicines.
An ad may say that a certain store is selling a product at the lowest
possible price. Unless you check to see what the price is at other stores, you
will not know if this claim is true. An ad may mention scientific studies.
But unless the ad explains how the studies were done or provides actual
results, a claim based on these studies may be false or misleading. Figure 12
discusses six methods advertisers use to sell products and services. For
more information on advertising, see the Building Health Skill on analyzing advertising appeal on pages 404–405.
Connect to
YOUR LIFE
Have you bought a product based on an ad? If so,
how did the ad convince you to buy the product?
To start students thinking about how
advertising affects their consumer
decisions, ask them to write a journal
entry about a product they bought
because of an ad. Students should
describe the product and the ad,
explain how the ad influenced them
to buy the product, and note whether
the product lived up to the ad’s claims.
They should also comment on what,
if anything, they learned from the
experience.
L2 Visual Learning: Figure 12
FIGURE 12 Advertising can
influence people to buy certain
products. Evaluating Which of
these advertising methods do you
think is most effective? Why?
Teaching Transparency 5
Bring in examples of each advertising
method. As you discuss each method, ask
students to think of other examples.
Caption Answer Sample answers: price
appeal, because most people are on a
budget; bandwagon approach, because
people often do things just to fit in
L4 Building Media Literacy
Advertising Methods
Method
Message
Example
Scientific
studies
Scientific tests prove the
product is effective.
“Tests prove that Brand X works fast.”
Bandwagon
approach
Everyone is using the
product. You should, too.
“Don’t be left behind—use Product X.”
Testimonial
The product is effective
because trustworthy
people recommend it.
“The medicine recommended by doctors
and their families”
Comparison to
other products
The product is more
effective than others.
Emotional
appeal
The product is safest for
you and your family.
Price appeal
The product gives you
more for your money.
“Brand X now has 20% more painkiller
than Brand Y.”
“Choose Brand X—your family’s health
depends on it.”
Tell students that advertisers may target
ads to specific cultural groups through
their selection of actors or models and
through the situations shown. Have
students look for ads that appear to
target certain cultures. Ask students to
write a paragraph explaining why they
think the advertiser believes the given
product will be of interest to people in
the targeted group.
Connect to Allow students to answer
YOUR LIFE this question in their
private journals.
“Brand X—the most for the least”
Making Healthy Decisions 21
L2 Less Proficient Readers
Have students find and clip magazine ads
that represent several of the following
advertising methods: scientific studies,
bandwagon approach, testimonial, comparison to other products, emotional appeal,
and price appeal. Ask students to label the
ads with the methods they represent and
use them to make a chart of advertising
methods. Students should highlight or circle any clues in the ads that show which
type of advertising methods they use.
Display the charts in the classroom.
Making Healthy Decisions
21
Chapter 1, Section 4
Health Fraud
L3 Visual Learning: Figure 13
Tell students that medicine shows were
popular between the Civil War and
World War I. Between musical acts or
contests, people hawked products such
as Hamlin’s Wizard Oil. The ingredients
included alcohol or other drugs, such as
opium. In response to the sale of such
potions, Congress passed the Food and
Drugs Act in 1906. Explain that health
fraud is not a thing of the past. Ask
students to suggest examples of current
products that would qualify.
Caption Answer The poster claims that
wizard oil cures all pain in “man or
beast.”
Promises of impossible
cures are a sure sign of quackery.
Observing What claim does this
poster make about wizard oil?
FIGURE 13
Health Fraud
If a person tells lies to obtain money or property, the person is guilty of
an illegal act called fraud. People who sell useless medical treatments or
products are engaged in health fraud, or quackery (KWAK ur ee). These
people are called quacks. Quacks promise that a treatment or product
will bring about a miracle cure or at least greatly improve a person’s
health. One danger of quackery is that it can keep someone from receiving proper medical care. If a person believes that a quack remedy is
working or might work, he or she might postpone seeing a doctor.
L2 Class Discussion
Discuss reasons why people might be
susceptible to health fraud (they are
desperate for a cure, they cannot afford
prescribed medications, they have a
distrust of conventional medicine, or
they see some evidence that the claims
are true). Then ask why teens may be
vulnerable to exaggerated claims about
products targeted at their appearance.
Recognizing Health Fraud Quacks depend on people’s lack of
knowledge and their desperate desire to find a cure. If a disease is life
threatening, such as cancer, it is a likely target of quacks. So are conditions
that are long lasting, such as arthritis or problems with weight control.
People can avoid health fraud by carefully evaluating the claims made
about a treatment or product. These are some warning signs of quackery.
Connect to Sample answer: I saw a
YOUR LIFE health claim that a product
could completely cure acne in 24 hours.
L3 Content Update
Use the Web Code to
access up-to-date information about
fraud, quackery, and health. Have
students complete the Web activity.
For: Updates on fraud,
quackery and health
Visit: www.SciLinks.org/health
Web Code: ctn-1014
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Someone claims that a product or treatment is the only possible cure
for a health problem.
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The promised results seem too good to be true.
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A product or treatment is said to cure many different ailments.
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A product is said to contain “special” or “secret” ingredients.
Responding to Health Fraud If you have doubts about any
product or treatment, ask a doctor or pharmacist. Notify your state’s
Office of the Attorney General about any health fraud you uncover in
your state. If a local business is involved, let your local Better Business
Bureau know as well. If you buy a fraudulent product that is shipped to
you by mail, notify your local postmaster.
Connect to
YOUR LIFE
22
What health claim have you seen that was too
good to be true?
Chapter 1
TEENS Are Asking . . .
Q:
Do a role-play with a friend to practice the
dialogue you might have with the person
who cut your hair. Also consider asking an
adult to go back to the salon with you. If
Most businesses want to know when their
you don’t feel comfortable pursuing the
customers are not satisfied because they
issue at this time, just thinking about what
depend on repeat business and word-ofyou could say might make it easier for you to
mouth advertising. If you do go back to the
speak up the next time you have a problem.
salon, be specific about what “bad” means.
I got a bad hair cut last week, but I
didn’t say anything because I don’t like to
complain. Is it too late to do something?
A:
22
Chapter 1
Your Rights as a Consumer
Kiana bought an exercise bike so she could stay fit all year
round. A week later, a pedal broke off the bike. She went back
to the store and was given a new pedal. Two months later, the
speedometer stopped working. She went back to the store
again, but the salesperson told her the exercise bike only had
a 30-day warranty, and the store was no longer responsible.
Kiana was upset but was not sure what her rights were as a
consumer. As a consumer, you have the right to information,
the right to consumer protection by government agencies,
and the right to complain.
Government Consumer
Agencies
The Federal Trade
Commission (FTC)
Prevents unfair or deceptive
advertising
The Right to Information As a consumer, you need
information in order to make wise choices. You need enough
information to make an informed judgment about whether a
product or service will be safe and effective.
Consumer Protection Figure 14 lists some government agencies that help to protect consumers. Some agencies
test products before they can be sold to consumers. Other
agencies take action against quackery. Some agencies remove
unsafe products from the marketplace.
Identify the Problem Be as clear and specific as possible
about what is wrong.
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Decide on Your Goal Decide on a fair way to resolve your
complaint. Do you want a refund, replacement, repair,
or credit?
䊳
Collect Documents Gather sales receipts, warranties,
canceled checks, contracts, or repair records to back up
your complaint.
䊳
Identify the Person in Charge Find out who has the
power to deal with your problem. It may be a customer
service representative or a manager.
L3 Building Health Skills
Communicating Ask students to write a
paragraph explaining the three basic
consumer rights in a way that is understandable to students in grades five or
six. Students should use examples to
demonstrate the rights, and the examples should be relevant to students in
these grades. Arrange for students to
share their paragraphs with younger
students.
Visual Learning: Figure 14
Caption Answer the Federal Trade
Commission
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)
Protects public from sale of unsafe
foods, drugs, and cosmetics
The Right to Complain If you have a problem with a
product, complain to both the store that sold you the product
and the manufacturer. Ask for a refund. Follow these steps to
make your complaint effective. Use the same approach if you
have a problem with a service.
䊳
Your Rights as a Consumer
L2 Building Health Skills
Practicing Healthful Behaviors Discuss
the steps for making an effective
complaint (identify the problem, decide
on your goal, collect documents, and
identify the person in charge). Then,
have students apply the steps to Kiana’s
problem with her exercise bike.
The Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC)
Establishes safety
standards for
consumer goods
and takes
dangerous
products off
the market
FIGURE 14 These agencies help protect
consumers from unsafe products and from
health fraud. Classifying Which agency
would you notify to report false advertising?
CHIL DRE N CAN
BUC KET AND FALL INTO
DRO WN.
KEE P CHIL DRE
N AWAY FRO M
BUC KET WITH
EVE
AMO UNT OF LIQU N A SMA LL
ID.
Making Healthy Decisions 23
L4 Gifted and Talented
Have interested students locate the Web
site for the office of the attorney general
in your state. Ask students to find out what
services or information are available related
to health fraud or consumer complaints.
Have students prepare a graphic roadmap
that indicates pathways from the home
page to relevant information on the site
itself or on linked sites. Give students an
opportunity to explain their roadmaps.
Making Healthy Decisions
23
Chapter 1, Section 4
Put Your Complaint in Writing Sometimes you will
need to write a letter of complaint. It might be because you no
longer live near the store where you bought a product or that you
ordered from a catalog or a Web site. You might also need to write
a letter if you do not get satisfactory results by complaining in
person. A letter is especially important if the product has a timelimited warranty. Include the following information.
3. Assess
Evaluate
These assignments can help you assess
students’ mastery of the section content.
䊳
the product’s model and serial number
Section 4 Review
䊳
the location and date of purchase
Answers appear below.
䊳
your specific complaint and suggested resolution
Teaching Resources
䊳
• Practice 1-4
• Section 1-4 Quiz
your name, address, and phone number and the best times to
reach you
䊳
a summary of any conversations you had in person
䊳
a reasonable date by which you expect action to be taken
L2 Reteach
Ask students to write fill-in-the-blank
questions based on the information in
the section. Then, have pairs of students
exchange and answer each other’s
questions.
When you complain about
a product, you will need documents,
such as a sales receipt, to back up your
claim. So you should store important
documents in a place where you can
easily find them.
FIGURE 15
L4 Enrich
Teaching Resources
Be firm, calm, and respectful. Avoid writing an angry or threatening letter. Keep a copy of the letter and all the documents.
If you don’t receive a response or are unhappy with the
response, contact the national headquarters of the company. You
can also write a letter to the Better Business Bureau or your local
or state consumer protection agency. When all else fails, people
may file a complaint in small claims court. These court proceedings usually do not require a lawyer and are relatively simple,
quick, and inexpensive.
• Enrich 1-4
Health and
Community
Comparison Shopping Make sure
students understand the meaning of
consumable. Students are likely to
find that smaller stores have higher
prices. They may also find that prices
vary depending on the neighborhood.
Health and Community
Section 4 Review
Key Ideas and Vocabulary
1. What is a warranty? What are three other factors
to consider when buying a product?
2. In general what do you need to do when you
evaluate a service or information?
3. What is advertising? What can you learn from
advertising? What can’t you learn?
4. How can you avoid health fraud?
5. What three rights do consumers have?
Critical Thinking
6. Predicting Why might a company president
answer a letter from an unhappy customer?
Comparison Shopping Pick a consumable
product that you use. Compare prices at as many
stores in your area as possible. Write a paragraph
discussing your results. Is there a noticeable pattern
in the price differences? For example, does the size
or the location of a store matter?
7. Classifying A company chooses a popular sports
figure to advertise a product. Which advertising
method is the company using?
8. Making Judgments A health club has inexpensive
introductory memberships. List three questions you
should ask before joining.
Section 4 Review
24
Chapter 1
1. an offer to repair or replace a product if there is a problem; safety,
cost, and consumer testing
2. For a service, you need to find out
whether the person who will perform the service is qualified. For
information, you need to evaluate
the source of the information.
4. by carefully evaluating the claims made
about a treatment or product
3. Advertising is the public promotion
of a product or service. You can
learn what products and services are
5. the right to information, the right to consumer protection by government agencies,
and the right to complain
24
Chapter 1
available from advertising, but you cannot
learn all the information you need to make
wise consumer choices.
6. Sample answer: to show the customer that
the company takes the complaint seriously
and values the customer’s business
7. testimonial
8. Sample answer: What is the cost after the
introductory period? What hours is the club
open? Are staff members certified trainers?