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Socioeconomic Factors and the Health of Individuals Essay
Socioeconomic impact on health
Socioeconomic impact on health
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I agree with the Dr Raphael video that good health is a vital in every person’s life. When we ask people that how to become healthy the usual response is exercise, healthy diet, avoid alcohol etc but, If someone’s economic status is poor how can they afford healthy diet and if they are not educated how do they know that which food and living condition are good for their health. After watching this video it can be said that the factors which determine the health called ‘social determinants of health’’ plays an important part in our health. Social determinant of health are employment, economic status, education, housing, social exclusion. As mentioned by Dr Raphael that a lot of people are not aware of this fact and it is important to make them
informed about the factors contributing to their health which can be done through social networking. The book “social determinants of health: Canadian facts’’ is also useful in indentifying these determinants.
According to the World Health Organisation (2017) the social determinants of health are defined as the conditions where people are born, grown, work and live, which also includes the health system. The social determinants of health determined populations health’s outcomes and therefore linked with health inequalities (WHO, 2017)
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are increasingly becoming a major problem of Public Health around the World. The impact of resources and material deprivation among people and populations has resulted in an increase in mortality rate on a planetary scale. Social determinants of health are defined as the personal, social, economic and the environmental conditions which determines the health status of an individual or population (Gardner, 2013). Today’s society is characterized by inequalities in health, education, income and many other factors which as a result is becoming a burden for Public Health around the world. Research studies have shown that the conditions in which people live and work strongly influenced their health. Individuals with high levels of education and fall within the high income bracket turn to have stable jobs, live in the best neighborhood and have access to quality health care system than individuals who have low education and fall with the low income bracket. This paper is to explain different social determinants of health and how they play ...
Humans are mortal beings, therefore with life comes death; this is a certainty. What is not so certain is the quality of life which one will lead thereto; and the variances they will face in life which will underwrite a person’s health. Health, which can be measured, regulates the quality and longevity of people’s lives. People have long since philosophised that it is “luck of the draw” as to who are inflicted with illness or disease. In fact, through research and consensus reports, analysis has concluded that social, economic and environmental influences are contributing factors. This essay will explore some of the main issues regarding health and consequences of lifestyle choices. Furthermore, recognition and critique will be focused on the principal reports and recommendations therein regarding health inequalities.
Social determinants of health have attracted the attention of governments, policy makers and international health organisations over the last three decades (Hankivsky & Christoffersen 2008). This is because social conditions which people are born in, live and work play an important role in their health outcomes (WHO 2015). According to Kibesh (1200) social determinants drive health disparities, disrupts the human developmental process and undermine the quality of life and opportunities for people and families (ref). Thus, several theories have been developed over the years to provide in-depth understanding of the social determinants of health and to reduce health inequalities (Hankivsky & Christoffersen, 2008). However, there is still significant
Social determinants of health has been a large topic for many years and can have a positive and negative effect on individuals, families and communities. (World Health Organisation, 2009) The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, including the health system. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels, which are themselves influenced by policy choices. Social determinants have many factors and in this essay education will be the main social determinant of health discussed and how this could have an impact on the physical and mental sides of health.
Nordqvist, Christian stated some facts about health, “ health can be defined as a physical, mental, and social well being, and a resource for living a full life. It refers not only to the absence of disease, but the ability to recover and bounce back from illness. Factors for good health include genetics, the environment, relationship, and education.”(page2). Health can be defined in many factors, but they all relate to a person's status and where their class in the economy. If one is wealthy, he or she can have access to healthcare that provides treatment to any of their health issues. But for the people who have low income, they can not afford health insurance and have a higher risk of becoming ill because they don’t have the resources to live a full healthy life. Most of those individuals have mental health issues because they often stress about living and surviving everyday with so little income. Christian Nordiqvist also said, “According to the WHO, the higher a person's socioeconomic status (SES), the more likely they are to enjoy good health, a good education, a well-paid job, afford good healthcare when their health is threatened” (pg.2). Christian is correct because the wealthier a person is, the higher chance of being in good health because he or she has the privilege of good health
According to marmot report, “inequalities are a matter of life and death”. Health inequality affects everyone except those at the very top of the social ladder. This is because health is socially graded – people farther down the social ladders are less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy as those at the top. Health Inequalities exist due to the unequal distribution of health in the society – “in the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age”.(2) Recent evidence shows that “socioeconomic factors such as income, wealth and education as the fundamental causes of wide range of health outcomes”.(3) For example in the UK, the rate of obesity has increased among adults in each social class, with the high increasing rate among the lower class. This inequality is stronger for women than men and also more among girls than
A person’s health along with the health of a community are influenced heavily by the social determinants of health. These determinants create a strong foundation for a healthy and proper development of a community (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013). Further, a proper foundation will allow the children within the community to develop properly, which will foster their potential for intellectual and physical intelligence. This paper will explore the effects of healthy childhood development, personal health practices and coping skills, health services and income and social statuses with in the Maple Leaf neighbourhood. Further, this paper will explore how the above social determinants of health directly affect the students of St. Fidelis school. Lastly, this paper will explain how the rise in cavities within these children is an issue as well as approached to overcome this issue.
Socio-economic class or socio-economic status (SES) may refer to mixture of various factors such as poverty, occupation and environment. It is a way of measuring the standard and quality of life of individuals and families in society using social and economic factors that affect health and wellbeing ( Giddens and Sutton, 2013). Cockerham (2007 p75) argues: ‘Social class or socioeconomic status (SES) is the strongest predictor of health, disease causation and longevity in medical sociology.’ Research in the 1990s, (Drever and Whitehead, 1997) found out that people in higher SES are generally healthier, and live longer than those in lower SES.
Social Determinants of health is the “conditions in which people are born, live, work and age that affect their health” Healthypeople.gov. (2017). Social Determinants of Health | Healthy People 2020. [online] Available at: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health [Accessed 22 Sep. 2017]. The determinants of health are important because it helps create policies to make changes, as well as improving public health conditions by addressing the different health outcomes an individual can face and improving the need for healthier conditions. Healthy People 2020 organizes the determinants of health in both a social and physical determinant which has an impact on health.
Over the years, the social determinants of health (SDOH) have been receiving more attention due to its importance in determining peoples’ health access, health quality and health outcome. The social determinants of health have been described by various scholars as the situation or environmental condition in which people are born, or where they grow, live and work; unfortunately these conditions have continued to affect and determine people’s ability to access proper care.1-5 In other words, the SDOH continues to consciously and unconsciously influence people’s access to most opportunities in life including access to healthcare services both in developed and developing countries.2 This issues have continue to deteriorate in most developing countries increasing people’s susceptibility to multi-morbidity among different age groups, with a slight increase among the elderly.6
Health as a Social Construction In my essay, I aim to find out why social construction affects the health of our society. Ill health may be defined as 'a bodily or mental state that is deemed undesirable'. This means that health is the condition of the body both physically and mentally. Social construction of health refers to the way health varies from one society to another.
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
Title: Use examples; discuss ways in which a person’s socioeconomic class and his/her social situation can have an impact on his/her health. This essay will discuss ways in which a person’s socioeconomic class and his/her social situation can have an impact on his/her health, using examples. I will be defining the key terms: socioeconomic status, social class and health; then proceed to discuss about how poverty, income, housing, employability and social environment can impact on a person’s social situation and their health. Socioeconomic status is a term used to weigh up a person’s/family social and economic status. This status is determined by factors such as income, education, occupation and social environment (Leary, 2007).
With movements made by the governments and medical professionals of developed countries in the interests of giving patients more choice, the definition of “healthy,” especially in contemporary society, has become subjective (Freemantle and Hill 2002, Armstrong 1995, Bury 2008, Van Krieken et al. 2006: 379-380). Variations in interpretation appear between groups divided along socio-political, demographical lines, or even between individuals themselves (Freemantle and Hill 2002: 864, Heath 2005: 954, Blaxter 2000:44, Van Krieken et al. 2006). This ambiguity has underscored debates and conflicts in recent years between patients, academics, politicians, and medical practitioners on issues of medical authority, the extent of involvement in the decision making process over personal health as well as the health of others related to them through social structures and institutions (Van Krieken et al. 2006, Blaxter 2000, Bury 2008, White 2002).