Social Determinants Of Health Essay

The primary factors that shape the health of an individual are the living conditions in which they experience, also known as the social determinants of health (Dahlgren and Whitehead, 1991). In agreement with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2012), these are “the conditions that people work, live, grow, and age in”. The social determinants are a collective set of conditions that have many layers that influence our health (WHO, 2009). Various social determinants such as unemployment and transport are all interconnected. This creates a causal sequence that can ultimately lead to housing issues for people. Thus, Lawrence (2006) suggests that the consensus seems to be that adequate housing is important for the physical and psychosocial well-being of individuals and this can be identified due to the risk conditions affecting social constructs on health (Dahlgren and Whitehead, 1991). In particular, research is increasingly showcasing that poor housing can be a detrimental factor towards health as well as a determinant of the mortality of an individual (Jacobs et al, 2009). Within this essay, housing conditions, tenancy and homelessness will be discussed. Moreover, what evidence of impact housing has had upon the physical and mental health of individuals throughout and what have been implemented to combat such inequality in housing will be examined. This will be achieved through the identification of housing issues previously listed and looking at how this has had an impact on the health of

According to Naidoo and Wills (2009) housing stock, dampness, inadequate heating and energy efficiency concerns are considered as key determinants of