Benefits Of A Healthy Living Environment

As stated by the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘health’ is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1948). The health and wellbeing of individuals is generally determined by their circumstances and environment, a phenomenon referred to as the social determinants of health. WHO describes the social determinants of health as:

In this assignment I will be explaining the concept of an unequal society, be describing social inequalities that exist in society, also I will be discussing the impact of social inequalities on groups in society. Finally I will evaluate the impact of social inequalities in society.

But over the past few decades, the definititon and concept of health has evolved to encompass more elements than just the physical well-being of a person. This is partly attributed to various researches and studies that have taken place around the world in the last 60 years. Already in 1948, the World Health Organization declared that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing, and not just the absence of disease” (WHO, 1974). Health inequalities are the differences in health or healthcare opportunities in different societies this may be due to income,

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (World Health Organisation, 2011)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 1978), health can be defined not only in terms of absence of disease, injury or infirmity, but also, as a state of mental, physical and social well-being. Over the last decades, many studies have emphasized the role of social circumstances on health status. The tight link between health and a wide range of socioeconomic, environmental and demographics factors have been increasingly recognized and proffer an alternative perspective on how to consider public health, social justice and even restructuring of the health care system (Daniels et. al., 2004). The increasingly acknowledgement that health is also a result of cumulative experience of social conditions and exposure to environmental

The definition of health is fluid, ever changing and carries different meanings across individuals, societies and cultures. Although it is difficult

A question asked by many Australians. The reason for this are the social determinates of health, there is a wide range of og things that can influence a person health these can include but are not limited to stress, early life, social exclusion, poverty, unemployment, social support, addiction, food, transport, where you live, personal health and coping skills WHO (2013). Addressing the social determinates of health is important to the primary health care system as one of the principles is health equity, giving everyone the access to health care no matter what position they are in. It is said that a person will generally be healthier if they feel comfortable and safe where they live, have a good connection with family and friends and have a good job earning decent money WHO

In this task there will be a discussion on the impact of social inequalities in society. I will explain how the different social groups’ including religion, ethnicity, age and gender can benefit the society but also face difficulties in terms of health and well being.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “health equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to attain his or her full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2015). Satcher (2010) reports that health inequities are “systematic, avoidable, and unjust” disparities (p. 6). He also states that the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that social conditions are the most important determinant of a person’s health. Social conditions “determine access to health services and influence lifestyle choices” (Satcher, 2010, p. 6). These determinants must be addressed in order to reduce health inequity. Inequity can be

Health inequalities are preventable and unjust differences in health status experienced by certain population groups. People in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to experience health inequalities than people in higher socio-economic classes. Health inequalities are not only found between people of different

The World Health Organisation defined health: “State of complete physical and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” (WHO, 1946 p.100). Many factors influence health such as family traits, behaviours, access to quality healthcare and environment (quality of air, bad/good water and housing conditions) (WHO, 1946). The holistic view of health combines the mind (mental), body (physical), emotional and spiritual elements to a person (Ewes & Simnett, 2003).

“1]. How does social inequality impact people of different nationalities [ethnicities & races], classes, and genders in society.”

The Ecological Model of Health, sometimes also called The Social-Ecological Model, is one of the main models and theories that underpin the practice of health promotion. Defined by the Institute of Medicine as "a model of health that emphasizes the linkages and relationships among multiple factors (or determinants) affecting health”, that ecological framework is based on the premise that no single factor can fully explain the variations, the prevalence and the complexity patterns of diseases, as they are the result of a dynamic interaction of several varied determinants.

(WHO, 1948) describes health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity’? There are other dimensions of health such as physical health, mental health and emotional health which can be broken down and looked at individually.