Biological Diversity
Influences of Biological Diversity on Interventions For some health conditions, physiological responses may vary by race, gender, or age, which in turn affects decisions about the type and intensity of interventions used in the health program. Gener- ational differences in values, norms, beliefs, and health problems all contribute to diversity. From the perspective of health program planning, age distribution is an important factor in reaching the intended audiences of a program. Gender and sexual orientation are other dimensions of physical diversity that have ramifications for program development. Disability—whether physical, mental, or developmental—is another dimension of diversity but is less often mentioned. Nonetheless, it may be extremely relevant for some health programs.
The distribution of physical characteristics within a population or community influences decisions during health program planning and later during program evaluation. Take age as an example. Imagine that the Bowe County Board wants to increase the physical activity of all county residents. The age distribution across the com- munity and within its towns will affect the nature and content of the countywide media messages. Messages that relate to the physical abilities of the elderly will need to be quite different from messages that address the physical abilities of adolescents. Similar considerations would be needed for the other types of physical diversity.
