Social Determinants Of Health Essay

contaminated water or food
17. For each pathway listed in question #16, explain the relationship of the mode of transmission to the virulence of the invader.

In this assignment I am going to explain how infections are caused by, bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. I will then explain how pathogenic microorganisms grow and spread.

Respiratory (airborne infections breathed in), digestive (within foods/ drinks), blood circulation (via broken skin/ wounds), body fluids (sexually transmitted diseases, cross contamination, poor hygiene).

(Determinants of health) The sociocultural determinants of health include: family, peers, religion, culture and media. Children that are raised in families that have high smoking rates, also have a high rate of second hand smoke and are more likely to become smokers. The same thing is also for children of obese and overweight parents, as they are more likely to be overweight or obese.

Health as a whole is determined by the quality of life, as well as an individuals’ ability to create personal positive social and physical environments. These environments include homes, schools, workplaces and the community as a whole. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2003), the social determinants of health are conditions in which people live, work, and grow, where these factors are influenced by money, power and available resources. There are five main aspects of social determinants: economic stability, social/community health, general health, education, and the surrounding built environment, where each determinant refers to multiple key issues. These determinants commonly affect health, the functioning of people, their quality of life, as well as social, economic and physical risks. Examples of social determinants include:

Social determinants of health encompasses ethnicity, gender and social class. It is seen as the essential

Communities are sometimes largely unaware that social factors rather than medical ones, such as income, and employment status, shape our health. Our health is also determined by the health and social services we receive, and our ability to attain high education levels, food and safe housing, among other factors.

The social determinants of health are factors that can affect a person’s physical or mental health, A few examples of these factors are; Unemployment, Housing, Education, Lifestyle factors, Transport, Access to health services etc. These types of social factors can lead to insecurity, stress, anxiety, isolation and lack of control of home life, work and health status. These factors contribute to the development

Question 1: Social Determinants in Health Reflect on how they may have influenced the type, variety, and/or need for the health or medical services delivered at your internship site Topic Choosen: Access to Medical Care a) Presence of services delivery systems based on principles of equity of access. Answer: The World Health Organization continues to address social determinants of health through their Commission of Social Determinants of Health. Using evidence based research they have developed the foundation of the Rio Political Declaration and the five key “Action Areas”.

A communicable disease chain is the mechanism by which an infective agent or pathogen is transmitted. The chain requires an infective agent, a source of infection, a mode of transmission and a host. An example of an infective agent could be bacteria, a virus, fungus, protozoan or helminth. The source of infective agents can be transmission from host to host, an infected human or animal, insects, soil or livestock. The mode of transmission is how the infective agent is carried from host to host. Transmission can be by air, ingestion or physical contact. To complete a life cycle or to replicate, the infective agent requires a host.

Acting in different levels, from micro to macro, those determinants have effect in a complex interplay of a multidirectional flow between the individual and the social scope. They are normally and roughly grouped into categories, such as individual factors interpersonal factors, institutional and community environments, broader social, economic and political influences. That concept allows explain why some people and groups are at higher risk for develop some diseases instead of others, and that is a very important key for a better understanding of its prevalence and to design more effective prevention strategies.

The range of personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status are known as determinants of health. Social determinants of health reflect the social factors and physical conditions of the environment in which people are born, live, learn, play, work, and age. According to Florida Public Health, Heart disease was the second leading cause of death in 2012, accounting for41, 643 deaths. The heart disease age-adjusted death rate per 100,000 populations decreased between 1990 and 2012 from 286.5 to 155.3. Heart disease was the leading cause of death among individuals 85 years or older, accounting for 30.0percent of deaths in this age group.

A person’s health can be affected by many factors such as housing, income and environment. This essay will define and explain the term ‘social determinants of health’, discuss why housing, income and environment are considered social determinants of health and how these determinants can have a negative affect on one’s health.

The determinants of health are economic and social conditions that affect people’s health status. These influence the living and working conditions that impacts people’s everyday living condition. Factors such as the place and the environment we live in, genetics, educational level or work status and income, as well as friends and family are some of the aspects that affects our health condition. On the other hand, the people that have an access to good health care and have financial stability are less susceptible and are often less affected. (NANB, 2009)

Marmot, Michael, and Richard G. Wilkinson. Social determinants of health. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford U Press, 2006. Print.