Social Determinants Of Health Research Paper

Social determinants of health are the social, physical and economic environments and places in which individuals are exposed to throughout their life that affect their health and well-being. Healthy People 2020 have identified five key determinants including: economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and the neighborhood or built environment (Currie & Moretti, 2003). Education attainment is the most important and modifiable social determinant of health. This is because, education has broad impacts at the individual, societal and economic level. First, higher educational attainment enables an individual to increase their SES and income by having more opportunity for better paying jobs.

In previous years, black women have continued to be infected by HIV. HIV is not all about biology but social determinants can determine their risk of contracting the virus. Understanding the social determinants of health gives clear incite on why certain people encounter illnesses and diseases. Poverty, racism, inequity of income and wealth, stability in the work force, neighborhood environment, education, and health care are the major social determinants of health. In this paper, the social determinants of HIV among African American women are discussed, including the effects of their socioeconomic status, gender and race, and age.

Income-level, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, and health literacy all impact the ability of people to access health services and to meet their basic needs, such as clean water and safe housing, which are essential to staying healthy. Evidence of the close relationship between living and working conditions and health outcomes has led to a renewed appreciation of how human health is sensitive to the social environment. The types of environmental influence that populations suffer and give rise to are broadly related to their socioeconomic

It is acknowledged in Closing the gap clearinghouse that Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population experience significant levels of health inequality when compared to non-Indigenous Australians across many sectors (Baum et al. 2013, p. 2). This disparity is prominently evident through discordance in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) data concerning Indigenous health, as well as many other literature, and is contributed to by many interconnected and interdependent social determinants of health negatively affecting this minority. The focal point of this research has been identifying the main ‘upstream’ social determinants – also referred to as ‘distal’ determinants – and thoroughly investigating their impact on Indigenous health.

The social determinants of health and wellbeing refers to the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, that are influenced in our everyday life, starting from our homes, schools,

There are three main determinants of health, these are social determinants, biomedical risk factors and behavioral risk factors. All these determine how long people are likely to stay healthy or avoid injury (Australia Institution of Health and Welfare, 2016). Social determinants of health refer to the social and economic conditions that influence people’s health status such as living, working and growing conditions (National Rural Health Alliance LTD, 2017), for example people with poorer social determinants have a higher risk or poor health compared to people with more advantages (Australia Institution of Health and Welfare, 2016). There are many different determinants of social health however social exclusion has a huge impact on people’s health and well-being in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (Eckermann, Down, Chong, Nixon, Gray & Johnson, 2010). Social exclusion describes the lack of recourses, opportunities, participation and skills (Australia Institution of Health and Welfare, 2016), It is when groups or individuals are excluded from social factors.

Those with higher SES have the necessary resources, that would help them cope better with stressors and strain as opposed to those with lower SES. This is another example of how social inequality, can lead to negative or poor health outcome. The problem is that why haven’t this issue of social determinant of health been addressed through public policy in Canada. Some of the barriers to addressing social determinants of health, through public policy in Canada using the political economy approach includes; Canada identification as a liberal welfare state, and the relative power and influence of the business sectors, labour, and civil society in shaping SDOH(Raphael, D., 2010, pg.17). In a liberal welfare state like Canada, the market is responsible

The circumstances in which people live are shaped by the distribution of resources, power and money at global, national and local levels. Economics, social policies and politics all have a part to play (World Health Organisation [WHO], 2016). Social determinants look at key aspects of peoples’ living and working circumstances, and what the implications of these circumstances are on their long-term health.

What are social determinants of health? The social determinants of health are the circumstances in which people are born; grow up, live, work and age, and the systems put in place to deal with illness. These circumstances are in turn shaped by a wider set of forces: economics, social policies, and politics. (WHO).

The main social determinants of health depicted are social and economic factors, health behaviors, and physical environment. The physical environment in South Bronx was far from peaceful which is what drove many of the subject to become involved in dangerous and illegal activities that resulted in prison sentences. Not only did the physical environment lack peace but was life-threatening as there were drug dealers, shootings, etc. In addition, Random Family also depicted inadequate housing such as rats in the home which threaten the children’s health. The physical environment was also a concern when it came to shelter as mentioned the apartment was unsafe, but also when the women become homeless.

Health is a broad topic that branches out into medicine and public health. Health promotion is an essential stage for health care providers to help raise awareness and prevent disease and illness. The social determinants of health are guidelines to relate illness and prevention. They are differences in health care status of population based on certain criteria’s such as income, education, housing, etc. both nationwide and worldwide (Kozier et al, 2014).

The social determinants of health encompass many factors which can be social, economic, and political (Lathrop, 2013). Social determinants of health do not only affect those that live in impoverished neighborhoods but also those that are ranked in the middle. Lathrop (2013) further discussed how the unequal distribution of wealth and the availability of resources can greatly affect a person’s health. Healthcare in the U.S is still a subject of discussion. As healthcare professionals, we have the opportunity to make a change and treat patients and families with utmost respect and provide a high level of care regardless of their social status.

According to the dictionary, the word health is “the state of being free from illness.” At a first glance, this defination seems to be very direct and simple, however the meaning of the word ‘health’ nowadays is much more complex. The above definition pretty much sums up our view of health in the first half of the 20th century.

Health has been influenced by many factors such as poor health status, disease risk factors, and limited access to healthcare. All these factors are due to social, economic and environmental disadvantages. According to the World Organization (WHO) (2015), “the social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities, which is the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries”

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)