Health And Mental Health: The Social Determinants Of Health

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The Social Determinants of health are what people experience in terms of birth, living, work and age all of which can contribute to the overall well being of individuals. This essay will focus on the social determinants of housing, which will examine the issue of income, poverty, overcrowding, the difference between social and private housing, unsatisfactory living arrangements, and green spaces; all of which can go on to affect the individual and their family’s physical health and mental health state. The Dalhgren and Whithead Model (1991, cited in Naidoo and Wills, 2010, p. 23), theorizes that a person’s gender or financial status, as well as many other factors, shape how people are as individuals and how they work in society. If people …show more content…

The pressure of living in an overcrowded property can put a massive strain on relationships, and can at times lead to domestic violence towards partners and children. (Stanley etal., 2010). Other issues that can be affected is a person’s sleeping pattern being disturbed; this can affect stress levels, concentration, and the sense of fatigue an individual may feel. This can lead to decreased ability to think and communicate as well as severely impact concentration in day to day life. This can be dangerous to the individual, especially if they work in jobs which can be dangerous to themselves and others, such as working with any kind of machinery. In addition, if it is a child that is the one who is having an unsettled night their education may be at risk, as they may find it difficult to concentrate in class, this often leads to behavioral issues for the child because of the stress and difficulty within the home. This may cause children to be absent from school, which will affect long term education Another issue that can impact health is inadequate …show more content…

Low income can lead to high levels of stress and pressure, which can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Overcrowding can be negative for a person because it causes frustration and family breakups, and means that their personal space is invaded, and their right to privacy is ignored – this can lead to tension in the family, and issues such as domestic abuse. Inadequate housing can affect an individual’s health, as it can cause respiratory problems due to poor living conditions such as damp or mold. The lack of green spaces can mean that health and sociability are not encouraged, and mental and physical health

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