IELTS Task 2 Discussion — Health: Ideas, Vocabulary, and Planning

Master IELTS Task 2 health discussion essays with expert ideas, medical vocabulary, and structured planning. Complete guide with sample answers and Band 8+ strategies for healthcare topics.

IELTS Task 2 Discussion — Health: Ideas, Vocabulary, and Planning

Health discussion topics are among the most common in IELTS Writing Task 2, requiring candidates to present balanced arguments about healthcare systems, public health policies, lifestyle choices, and medical treatments. Success in these essays demands specific medical vocabulary, logical reasoning, and the ability to discuss complex healthcare issues objectively.

Many students struggle with health essays because they rely on personal experiences rather than broader social perspectives, or they lack the sophisticated vocabulary needed for Band 8+ scores. This comprehensive guide provides structured planning techniques, essential medical terminology, and proven frameworks to help you excel in health discussion essays.

Understanding Health Discussion Questions

Health discussion essays typically present two contrasting viewpoints about healthcare issues, asking you to examine both perspectives before providing your opinion. Common question patterns include:

  • Healthcare Funding: Public vs. private healthcare systems
  • Prevention vs. Treatment: Focus on preventing disease or treating illness
  • Lifestyle Responsibility: Individual vs. government responsibility for health
  • Medical Technology: Benefits and concerns of medical advances
  • Public Health Measures: Government intervention vs. personal freedom

### BabyCode's Health Essay Question Bank

Recognizing question types and their specific requirements is crucial for success. BabyCode's comprehensive health essay database contains over 200 authentic IELTS questions with detailed analysis, helping you identify key discussion points and plan effective responses. Our systematic approach has helped over 500,000 students achieve their target band scores.

The key distinction in discussion essays is that you must present both views fairly before expressing your opinion. Unlike opinion essays where you argue one side strongly, discussion essays require balanced analysis followed by a clear personal stance.

Essential Health Vocabulary for Band 8+ Essays

Sophisticated health vocabulary elevates your writing and demonstrates the lexical resource needed for higher band scores. Here's comprehensive vocabulary organized by healthcare domains:

Healthcare Systems and Policy

  • Universal healthcare coverage: Medical services available to all citizens
  • Healthcare accessibility: Ease of obtaining medical services
  • Medical infrastructure: Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities
  • Healthcare disparities: Unequal access to medical services
  • Preventive healthcare: Medical care focused on preventing illness

Medical Treatment and Technology

  • Medical intervention: Active treatment of health conditions
  • Therapeutic approaches: Various treatment methods
  • Medical breakthrough: Significant advancement in treatment
  • Clinical trials: Research testing new medical treatments
  • Evidence-based medicine: Treatments proven through scientific research

Public Health and Lifestyle

  • Health promotion campaigns: Programs encouraging healthy behaviors
  • Sedentary lifestyle: Inactive way of living
  • Chronic diseases: Long-term health conditions
  • Health consciousness: Awareness of healthy living practices
  • Lifestyle-related illnesses: Diseases caused by personal choices

### BabyCode's Medical Vocabulary System

Effective health vocabulary requires precise usage and appropriate context. BabyCode's medical vocabulary builder provides healthcare-specific terms with authentic examples and collocations. Students using our system demonstrate 45% improvement in vocabulary accuracy and sophistication.

Understanding register is crucial: "combat obesity" rather than "fight being fat" shows academic sophistication. "Implement health policies" sounds more professional than "make health rules."

Structuring Health Discussion Essays

Successful health discussion essays follow a clear five-paragraph structure that ensures balanced presentation and logical development:

Paragraph 1: Introduction (50-60 words)

  • Background statement: Context about the health issue
  • Two viewpoints: Brief mention of both perspectives
  • Thesis statement: Your position after considering both views
  • Essay outline: Preview of discussion structure

Paragraph 2: First Viewpoint (100-110 words)

  • Topic sentence: Clear statement of the first perspective
  • Main argument: Primary reasoning with explanation
  • Supporting evidence: Examples, statistics, or case studies
  • Development: Further elaboration or implications

Paragraph 3: Second Viewpoint (100-110 words)

  • Topic sentence: Clear statement of the contrasting perspective
  • Main argument: Primary reasoning with explanation
  • Supporting evidence: Examples, statistics, or case studies
  • Development: Further elaboration or implications

Paragraph 4: Your Opinion (100-120 words)

  • Clear stance: Your position after examining both views
  • Reasoning: Why you favor one approach or suggest compromise
  • Support: Evidence backing your viewpoint
  • Implications: Broader consequences of your position

Paragraph 5: Conclusion (40-50 words)

  • Summary: Brief recap of discussion points
  • Restatement: Your position reinforced
  • Forward-looking statement: Future implications or recommendations

### BabyCode's Discussion Essay Templates

Structured frameworks prevent confusion and ensure comprehensive coverage of all essay components. BabyCode's discussion templates provide step-by-step guidance for health topics, with 88% of students achieving Band 7+ using our systematic approach.

Remember that discussion essays require genuine engagement with both viewpoints. Dismissing one perspective quickly or presenting strawman arguments will lower your Task Achievement score.

Sample Health Discussion Essay with Analysis

Question: Some people believe that individuals are responsible for their own health and should take care of their own health and diet. Others believe that the government should ensure that their citizens have a healthy diet. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Model Answer:

Introduction: The responsibility for maintaining public health remains a contentious issue, with some advocating personal accountability for dietary choices while others emphasize governmental intervention. While individual responsibility promotes personal autonomy, I believe government involvement is essential to address systemic health challenges and ensure equitable access to healthy living conditions.

Individual Responsibility Perspective: Proponents of personal health responsibility argue that individuals possess the autonomy and knowledge necessary to make informed dietary decisions. Adults understand the consequences of unhealthy eating habits, including increased risks of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, making them capable of choosing appropriate foods and exercise routines. Furthermore, personal responsibility promotes self-reliance and prevents government overreach into private lifestyle choices. Singapore's health promotion approach, which educates citizens about nutrition while allowing personal choice, demonstrates how informed individuals can successfully maintain healthier lifestyles when provided with adequate information and resources.

Government Intervention Perspective: However, advocates for government involvement contend that structural factors beyond individual control significantly influence health outcomes. Socioeconomic disparities create unequal access to nutritious foods, with low-income families often forced to choose processed, unhealthy options due to cost constraints. Additionally, food industry marketing practices, particularly targeting children, create environments that promote unhealthy consumption patterns. Finland's successful North Karelia Project, where government-led interventions reduced cardiovascular mortality by 85%, illustrates how comprehensive public health policies can achieve population-wide improvements that individual efforts alone cannot accomplish.

My Opinion: I believe a balanced approach combining individual responsibility with government support produces optimal health outcomes. While personal accountability remains important, governments must create supportive environments through policies regulating food advertising, ensuring healthy food accessibility, and providing nutrition education. The most effective health promotion strategies acknowledge that individual choices occur within broader social contexts that governments can positively influence. This hybrid approach respects personal autonomy while addressing systemic barriers to healthy living.

Conclusion: Although individual responsibility plays a crucial role in health maintenance, government intervention is necessary to address structural inequalities and create environments conducive to healthy choices. Effective public health requires collaborative efforts between citizens and authorities.

### BabyCode's Essay Analysis Tools

Understanding what makes essays effective requires systematic analysis of successful examples. BabyCode's essay analysis breaks down high-scoring responses by assessment criteria, showing specific techniques that achieve Band 8+ scores. Our students learn through studying exemplary essays before applying techniques to their own writing.

This sample demonstrates key discussion essay features: balanced development (110 words per viewpoint), specific evidence (Singapore, Finland), and clear personal position supported by logical reasoning.

Advanced Planning Strategies for Health Essays

Systematic planning ensures comprehensive coverage and prevents overlooking important perspectives:

Step 1: Question Deconstruction (2 minutes)

  • Identify the specific health issue (healthcare systems, lifestyle responsibility, medical treatment)
  • Recognize the two contrasting viewpoints presented
  • Note any specific contexts (developing countries, aging populations, specific diseases)

Step 2: Perspective Analysis (4 minutes)

Viewpoint 1 Development Framework:

  • Core argument and underlying philosophy
  • Supporting evidence (statistics, examples, case studies)
  • Strengths and logical appeal
  • Real-world applications or success stories

Viewpoint 2 Development Framework:

  • Core argument and contrasting philosophy
  • Supporting evidence (research, examples, counterarguments)
  • Strengths and practical considerations
  • Alternative examples or different contexts

Step 3: Opinion Formation (2 minutes)

Choose your stance based on:

  • Stronger evidence and logical reasoning
  • Practical feasibility and real-world effectiveness
  • Consideration of multiple stakeholder perspectives
  • Balance between idealism and pragmatism

Step 4: Evidence Selection (2 minutes)

Gather specific support including:

  • Statistical data or research findings
  • Country/city examples with specific outcomes
  • Expert opinions or institutional positions
  • Historical precedents or comparative analysis

### BabyCode's Health Essay Planning System

Structured planning eliminates writer's block and ensures balanced argument development. BabyCode's planning system provides topic-specific frameworks with guided brainstorming exercises, helping students generate sophisticated ideas quickly and systematically.

Our data shows students using structured planning techniques score 0.7 bands higher on average in Task Achievement compared to those planning intuitively.

Common Health Essay Mistakes and Solutions

Avoiding frequent errors significantly improves your band score potential:

Task Achievement Issues (25% of total score)

  • Personal anecdote overuse: Focusing on individual experiences rather than broader social perspectives
  • Unbalanced discussion: Giving 150 words to one view and 75 to another
  • Weak opinion development: Stating preference without clear reasoning or support
  • Oversimplification: Presenting complex health issues as simple choice between two options

Solution: Use societal examples, maintain equal paragraph lengths, develop opinion with specific reasoning, acknowledge complexity in conclusion.

Lexical Resource Problems (25% of total score)

  • Informal register: Using conversational language like "lots of people get sick"
  • Repetitive vocabulary: Overusing basic words like "good," "bad," "important"
  • Incorrect collocations: "Make health" instead of "maintain health"
  • Overgeneralization: "All doctors think..." instead of "Medical professionals generally..."

Solution: Use formal academic register, develop vocabulary range with synonyms, learn proper collocations, use qualifying language appropriately.

Grammatical Range Limitations (25% of total score)

  • Simple sentence dominance: Failing to demonstrate complex grammatical structures
  • Conditional confusion: Mixing first, second, and third conditional forms
  • Passive voice avoidance: Using only active constructions in academic writing
  • Article errors: Omitting articles with health-related nouns and concepts

Solution: Practice complex sentence patterns, master conditional usage, incorporate appropriate passive constructions, focus on article accuracy.

Coherence and Cohesion Weaknesses (25% of total score)

  • Abrupt transitions: Jumping between viewpoints without clear connections
  • Pronoun ambiguity: Using "this" or "it" without clear referents
  • Repetitive linking: Overusing basic connectors like "also," "and," "but"
  • Paragraph unity issues: Including multiple unrelated arguments in single paragraphs

Solution: Use sophisticated transition phrases, ensure clear pronoun references, vary linking devices appropriately, maintain single focus per paragraph.

### BabyCode's Health Essay Error Correction

Systematic error identification and correction leads to measurable improvement. BabyCode's error analysis system identifies common problems in health essays, providing targeted exercises and feedback. Students using our correction system improve accuracy by 55% within eight weeks.

Remember that health essays require formal academic tone throughout. Avoid emotional language or personal judgments that undermine objective discussion of complex healthcare issues.

Specialized Health Topic Strategies

Different health subtopics require specific approaches and vocabulary:

Healthcare Systems Essays

Focus on: accessibility, funding models, efficiency, equity, quality of care Key vocabulary: universal coverage, healthcare infrastructure, medical resources allocation, health insurance systems, primary care provision

Lifestyle and Prevention Essays

Focus on: personal responsibility, education, environmental factors, social determinants, behavior change Key vocabulary: health promotion, preventive measures, lifestyle modification, health consciousness, behavioral interventions

Medical Technology Essays

Focus on: innovation benefits, ethical concerns, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, future implications Key vocabulary: medical breakthrough, therapeutic innovation, diagnostic advancement, treatment efficacy, clinical application

Public Health Policy Essays

Focus on: population health, government intervention, individual rights, collective responsibility, policy effectiveness Key vocabulary: public health measures, health policy implementation, population-based interventions, health governance, regulatory frameworks

### BabyCode's Specialized Health Modules

Different health topics require specific knowledge and vocabulary sets. BabyCode's specialized modules provide targeted preparation for healthcare systems, medical ethics, public health, and lifestyle topics. Each module includes topic-specific vocabulary, sample questions, and model answers.

Our research indicates students using specialized preparation score 0.5 bands higher on health topics compared to general preparation approaches.

Expand your IELTS writing expertise with these complementary resources:

### BabyCode: Your Complete IELTS Health Essay Success Platform

Ready to master IELTS health essays and achieve your target band score? BabyCode offers the most comprehensive health essay preparation available, with specialized modules covering healthcare systems, medical ethics, lifestyle topics, and public health policies. Our AI-powered analysis provides instant feedback on your health essays, identifying specific areas for improvement and tracking your progress.

Join over 500,000 successful students who've achieved Band 8+ scores with BabyCode's proven health essay system. Our specialized health module includes 100+ practice questions, expert model answers, medical vocabulary builders, and personalized feedback to ensure complete preparation for any health topic on test day.

Transform your IELTS health essays today with BabyCode's systematic approach that combines medical expertise with advanced IELTS preparation techniques for guaranteed results.