The primary goal of the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation website is to promote a healthier lifestyle amongst Canadian men. The website also mentions how Canadians are living under the assumption that they are healthy, however, in the case of Canadian men, they are considered to be not healthy (“FAQ – Canadian Men’s Health Foundation”, n.d.). This is not solely a result of genetics, but rather, it is influenced by lifestyle choices. This emphasizes the role lifestyle plays in an individual’s overall health. More specifically, one’s diet, participation in physical activities, and tobacco use are all contributing factors, which affect overall health (Raphael, 2014). Going back to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, it stated that their main …show more content…
The information would be very precise and not specific. It would probably mislead the issue of what causes the disease. Their aim is to show Canadian men on how to live a healthier life, but not really mentioning the factors, pathways, and issues that causes many diseases, which is simply social determinants of health. Therefore, I would be ignoring the social determinants of health information in which has a strong effect towards health. More specifically, the research on living and working conditions, which are found to be the primary causes for chronic diseases. As for the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, the reason why they present information for the disease and not the social determinant of health is because they are working very hard to incorporate findings that support their campaign (Raphael, 2014). Second is because they spend three decades trying to take public policy reform away from providing Canadians with economic and social stability (Raphael, 2014). It would not make sense for them to provide information stating that social determinants of health are the main cause. Therefore, there hard work would not be paid off. Finally, it would be cheaper later on to encourage lifestyle changes rather than the hassle of going through public policy improvements, which is probably cost a lot of money to be spent (Raphael, 2014). Overall, it is important to understand deeper about why many diseases occur and why certain locations/regions have poor health compared to other places. We should not base our understand towards facts, however we should have a open mind and examine how social determinants of health plays a major role in many people’s health and also shape the lives of many
Referring back to the samples taken in Canada. 87% of them were men in there 30’s who were employed (75%). 43% of them were married living in normal relationship. 57% of them were single or divorced or widowed.
“The health of individuals and populations is influenced and determined by many factors acting in various combinations. Healthiness, disease, disability and, ultimately, death are seen as the result of … human biology, lifestyle and environmental (e.g. social) factors…” (Mary Louise Fleming, 2009) There are many unchangeable contributing factors that play a role in a person’s health condition, this can be anything from the gender and location that they were born into, to genetic impairments and the lifestyle that their parents raised them in or even government policies; but for as many unchangeable factors, there are also changeable factors. In Mr. A’s case he was born from Pacific Islander descent, therefore it can be assumed that he was born into an obese family with little money, and was raised in poorer living conditions than the average Australian. Due to this, his health is expected to be worse that the average Australian because his social determinants make it so. He is now a full-grown man with a family, but still lives in problematic conditions due to his upbringing and culture along with the minimal to no levels of prevention shown. There are many risk factors that have affected Mr. A’s health due to the social determinants that he has been faced with such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, etc. There are also upstream and downstream factors affecting his health, “While upstream and midstream determinants influence the type, likelihood, number and severity of diseases that affect a person, downstream inequities come into play when a person becomes ill.” (AMA, 2007). These factors have had a major role in the result of his heart attack. Finally, his level of prevention exhibited is a key aspect on how much of an eff...
Raphael, D., Curry-Stevens, A., & Bryant, T. (2008). Barriers to addressing the social determinants of health: Insights from the Canadian experience. Health Policy, 88, 222-235. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2008.03.015.
SEDAP. (2007,). Contrasting Inequalities: Comparing Correlates of Health in Canada and the United States (research 167). Retrieved from http://www.socserv.mcmaster.ca/sedap:
Both the risk factors and the effects of obesity are now more terrifying than any other preventable disease to both the population and the economy of Canada. In a survey of seventeen developed countries, Canada placed only tenth in life expectancy and wellbeing, while placing fourth in the highest spending on healthcare(Flood). A large factor in Canada’s state of poor well-being is obesity; obesity causes one in ten premature deaths of people aged twenty to sixty-four(Ogilvie) and is a leading cause of many life-threatening illnesses: “Obesity is recognized as a major and rapidly worsening public health problem that rivals smoking as a cause of illness and premature death. Obesity has been linked with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, gallbladder disease, some forms of cancer, osteoarthritis,
‘Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation’ is a white paper which was initiated in 1999. The Department of Health (DOH) ordered strategies aimed at reducing ill-health with specific attention to cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, accidents, and mental health. £21billion over 10years was given to the NHS to ensure a target of 20% reduction in deaths associated with these conditions.
In so doing it has created awareness and led to a discussion about the implications of social inequalities on health outcomes of individuals over the years. The theory also provides a broad perspective about disease processes. This has allowed health researcher/professionals to design holistic treatment/care plans that does not only focus on the biomedical disease process but to take other aspects of people’s life into consideration (WHO, 2010).
Eyler, Amy A.. Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in a diverse sample of women: the Women's Cardiovascular Health Network project. New York:
Pierre, N., Pollack, N., & Fafard, P. (2007). Health Policies and Trends for Selected Target Groups in Canada.
Health inequalities in any country is an important issue. There are many reasons for inequalities in health, for example, gender and age, economic and social factors.
Public Health Agency of Canada. "It's Your Health." It's Your Health. Health Canada, 09 Feb. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2014.
In the ongoing war to achieve better population health in the United States, there is a developing resource for Americans. Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020) is an extensive combined effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Agencies, Public Stake Holders, and an Advisory Committee that utilizes the Social Determinants for Health as its framework, to aid the transformation of the United States to a society in which people live long and healthy lives. The HHS utilizes HP 2020 to seize a renewed focus in the identifying, measuring, tracking, and reducing health disparities via a determinant of health approach. HP 2020 is based on 4 previous Healthy People initiatives: 1979 Surgeon General’s Report, Healthy People: The Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Healthy People 1990: Promoting Health/Preventing Disease: Objectives for the Nation; Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives; and Healthy People 2010 (HP 2010): Objectives for Improving Health. The multiyear process that is HP 2020 reflects the input from a diverse group of organiza...
Bryant, Toba, Chad Leaver, and James Dunn. 2009. “Unmet healthcare need, gender, and health inequalities in Canada.” Health Policy 91(2009): 24-32.
The health of an individual and their communities is affected by several elements which combine together. Whether an individual is healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment.1 To a greater extent, factors such as where an individual lives, their relationships with family and friends, the state of their environment, income, genetics and level of education all have significant impacts on health, however the more frequently considered factors such as access and use of health care facilities regularly have less of an impact.6 Determinants of health is a term which was introduced in the 1970s as part of a broader analysis of research and policy on public health. Researchers argued that there was a lot of attention and too much expenditure on health being dedicated to individuals and their illnesses, and little or no investment in populations and their health. It was decided that public health should be more concerned with social policies and social determinants than with health facilities and the outcomes of diseases.7 The determinants of health include social and economic environment, physical environment and an individual’s behaviour and characteristics. The environment of an individual determines their health, holding responsible an individual for having poor health or acknowledging them for good health is inappropriate. Individuals are not likely to be able to control several of the determinants of health. These determinants that make individuals healthy or not include the factors above, and numerous others.6
The poor food choices that men and women make is the cause of many illnesses, disease and chronic health conditions. Men and women generally have different thoughts and choices on the topic of healthy food. People’s bad health may be genetically occurred or their exposure to their past nutritional education was not helpful, but their bad health is primarily based upon the poor choices that the individuals choose in daily life.