PDHPE 2025 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure important components of the question are not missed
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• use the first page of the answer booklet for an extended response to develop a plan to assist with the logical sequencing of information
• engage with what the question is asking, rather than presenting a pre-prepared response
• relate to the question throughout the response, rather than just at the beginning
• sustain judgements, where appropriate, throughout the response with a clear connection to the question
• apply the skills of critical thinking and analysis where applicable
• use relevant concepts and terms to support their response
• communicate ideas and information using relevant examples
• present a logical and cohesive response that addresses the question
• review the response to ensure it addresses question requirements.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline two relevant risk factors for their selected condition.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating understanding of specific risk factors, rather than outlining the condition or health issue itself.

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• make a direct link between infant mortality and the overall health status of a population.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating understanding of what infant mortality indicates about a population’s health status.

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide characteristics of more than one effect that caffeine use may have on an athlete’s performance.

Areas for students to improve include:

• describing effects on athletic performance.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain the effect of an ageing population on the health service workforce, specific to Australia.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing the effect of an ageing population
• addressing the health service workforce specifically.

Question 25 (a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide features of goal setting, such as SMART goals
• show how the goal setting would change the behaviour/motivation of the athlete, for example, leading to an extra training session.

Areas for students to improve include:

• creating a link between goal setting and motivation, for example, how setting a specific, numerical personal best goal may increase motivation.

Question 25 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide characteristics of one relevant relaxation technique, such as meditation, listening to music or progressive muscular relaxation by athletes
• provide a possible link between one relaxation technique and reduced anxiety
• provide a relevant sporting example that demonstrates both the use of one relaxation technique and the effect on the sportsperson.

Areas for students to improve include:

• describing one relaxation technique
• explaining how one relaxation technique could reduce the effects of anxiety.

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of how both aerobic and resistance training thresholds create specific physiological adaptations, for example, linking the aerobic threshold with increased stroke volume
• provide specific and relevant examples of aerobic and resistance training, for example, a marathon runner using continuous training by running 20 kilometres at a steady pace of 70% of their maximum heart rate.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a cause and effect response to the question, for example, identifying the purpose of resistance training thresholds and the subsequent physiological adaptations
• providing relevant examples to make clear the implications of the relationship throughout the response. For example, a weightlifter targeting muscle hypertrophy completing 6–12 repetitions at 80% of 1RM when doing a bench press to increase muscle size and strength.

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the responsibilities of individuals, communities and governments, in creating supportive environments to promote health
• provide examples to illustrate the responsibility of individuals, communities and governments, for example, individuals who smoke are encouraged to refrain from smoking in designated smoke-free zones, thereby reducing exposure of others to passive smoke.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating understanding of the responsibilities of individuals, communities and governments in creating a supportive environment to promote health.

Question 28 (a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe the importance of positive self-concept, for example, it increases self-esteem, improved body image or mental health (i)
• provide an example of community service for a young person, such as volunteering for a chosen charity
• demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between a young person's involvement in community service and improving their health. For example, a young person who volunteers at their local nursing home may increase their sense of purpose by giving back to the community and can build their mental health by developing mentor relationships with the residents who can foster resilience and share valuable life experiences (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating an understanding of the relationship between positive self-concept and improved health. For example, a young person with a positive self-image may be motivated to maintain their physical health by training and participating in regular physical activity (i)
• demonstrating an understanding of community service (ii)
• using relevant examples, for example, a young person volunteering at a fundraiser can improve their social health because it may be an opportunity to develop new friendships with like-minded individuals (ii).

Question 28 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of three developmental aspects, using relevant examples for each developmental aspect
• provide informed judgements on the extent that young people can improve specific dimensions of health when successfully managing developmental aspects. For example, clarifying self-identity and self-worth is essential to improve both physical and mental dimensions of health for young people.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing three correct developmental aspects from the syllabus
• supporting their judgements with a range of relevant examples that are specific to young people. 

Question 29 (a) (i)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of metaphor
• provide an example of a metaphor used by the media in sport, for example, ‘the team went to war’ or a ‘David versus Goliath battle’
• describe the effect of the media’s use of a metaphor in sport, for example, to increase rivalry in a sport between clubs/teams/states.

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to a specific metaphor as an example, or providing an Australian sporting reference that is metaphorical.

Question 29 (a) (ii)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of media coverage, such as mass communication via television, streaming, social media or the print media
• provide examples of extreme sports as part of their explanation, such as big wave surfing, parkour or cliff diving
• provide a clear link between the media’s coverage of extreme sports and athletes taking excessive risks, for example, an increase in unsafe stunts, tricks and performances that are more dangerous and/or increase the chance of injury to the athlete.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating a clear cause and effect between media coverage and increased risk taking by athletes, for example, with an increase in media coverage of dramatic and daring cliff diving, divers are left to find more diverse and challenging locations which are often more dangerous
• providing relevant examples of extreme sports, rather than sports that are generally considered traditional or mainstream.

Question 29 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of how Australia has used sport for political purposes, for example, boycotts of an Olympic Games or a country for international relations and diplomacy
• draw out and relate links between using sport for political purposes and the impact this has on both athletes and on the public, for example, a missed opportunity for athletes to represent Australia in sport
• provide informed judgments throughout the response about the use of sport for political purposes in Australia.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing the intentional use of sport for political purposes, rather than describing how a team or player has been influenced by general issues in sport such as sponsorship or payment
• ensuring the impacts on both athletes and the public are referred to in the response
• providing examples that relate to the Australian context, rather than to other countries.

Question 30 (a) (i)

In better responses, students were able to:

• name a climate that an athlete might have to adapt to, for example, heat, humidity or altitude
• provide a specific example to support their response, for example, a tennis player training in Cairns’ tropical heat before the Australian Open to improve heat tolerance and reduce fatigue during long matches.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying the importance of acclimatisation for an athlete
• describing acclimatisation using an example, such as a marathon runner from Melbourne travelling to Cairns two weeks before their race to acclimatise to the hot, humid conditions so they can perform safely and effectively on the day.

Question 30 (a) (ii)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide the cause and effect of fluid intake, evaporation, and body temperature regulation, for example, adequate hydration supports continuous sweat production, allowing sweat to evaporate from the skin, which cools the body
• explain how the cooling process helps maintain safe body temperature during exercise or explain the consequences of inadequate hydration, for example, reduced fluid intake limits sweat production, decreasing heat loss and increasing the risk of dehydration, overheating, or heatstroke
• include a relevant example, such as a marathon runner consuming water and electrolytes during a race in hot weather to maintain sweating and avoid overheating.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a detailed explanation of how fluid intake enables continuous sweating and evaporation rather than simply stating that ‘water cools the body’
• demonstrating the link between fluid intake, sustained sweat production, evaporation, cooling and body temperature regulation
• demonstrating an understanding of the process of evaporation
• including a specific sporting example where fluid intake is essential for body temperature regulation, for example, a tennis player at the Australian Open sipping electrolyte drinks to replace fluids lost through sweat.

Question 30 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain the physiological effects of heat and cold and progressive mobilisation on the rehabilitation of a shoulder dislocation, for example, progressive mobilisation helps restore the range of motion and helps prevent joint stiffness
• provide an informed judgement about the timing and application of heat and cold in relation to the stages of rehabilitation, for example, in the later stages, heat and cold can be combined with progressive mobilisation through contrast therapy, such as hot and cold water immersion, to improve circulation
• make clear links between rehabilitation procedures and decreased recovery time, showing how effective use of heat, cold, and progressive mobilisation supports a return to pre-injury function, for example, progressive mobilisation improves joint mobility and reduces scar tissue, which, when combined with targeted use of heat and cold, accelerates recovery and helps the joint return to its pre-injury state more efficiently
• use specific examples for the use of heat and cold and progressive mobilisation for a shoulder dislocation, for example, pendulum swings followed by resistance band external rotations show progression from passive to active movement.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating clear links between the procedure and the stage of rehabilitation, for example, rehabilitation procedures like progressive mobilisation and the strategic use of heat and cold throughout this process
• ensuring justification goes beyond description by explaining why each procedure is effective
• constructing examples that are specific to a shoulder dislocation.

Question 31 (a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe the importance of one training method using a sport of choice, for example, a marathon runner will use continuous training to build aerobic capacity and endurance (i)
• explain how an athlete can ensure that their training procedures are safe, using examples such as, in weight training an athlete will need to conduct a thorough warm up by jogging and stretching before lifting weights to ensure muscles are warm to help prevent injuries and improve performance (ii)
• demonstrate understanding of one training method (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating knowledge of a training method and why it is safe for an athlete (i)
• providing clear and relevant examples of safe training procedures (ii)
• providing a training method, rather than training types.

Question 31 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of three elements a coach should consider when designing a training session, using specific examples. For example, for the element warm up, describing aerobic warm up for netball of 10 minutes of continuous jogging at 70% of maximum heart rate, or dynamic stretching movements of the hamstrings that prepare the legs of a soccer player
• provide a justification for each element improving performance, using an example to show how the inclusion of the element benefits the athlete or the training session. For example, the athlete prepares physically and mentally for training which leads to higher quality performance and reduced risk of injury.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying three elements of a training session
• providing specific examples linked to the chosen sport
• supporting judgements by referring back to relevant examples linked to designing a training session.

Question 32 (a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe the importance of working with a target group when designing a health promotion strategy, for example, giving the group a voice and tailoring the health promotion strategy to their needs (i)
• demonstrate an understanding of how skills and education may improve the success of a health promotion strategy. For example, developing knowledge and competencies (education), or ability to implement or adapt (skills), leads to an increase in health outcomes or a decrease in health inequities (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying a health promotion strategy
• providing relevant examples of skills and education in relation to target groups
• explaining both skills and education (ii).

Question 32 (b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of how three factors have led to health inequities for one specific Australian population group. For example, the homeless, and the increased duration and severity of respiratory conditions due to exposure to the elements and poor hygiene from sleeping rough
• provide an informed judgement about three factors and their effect for the chosen group. For example, analysis of how variations in access to services and transport lead to health inequities, such as fewer preventative health visits for the aged population, which may lead to increased mortality rates of cancer, or advancement of dementia, or social isolation
• show a connection between the factors with relevant examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making informed judgements about how factors effect health inequities within one Australian population group
• including three factors in their response
• including specific examples that illustrate health inequities.