Social Determinants Of Lifestyle

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In every individual’s life, there are specific actions and behaviors that we conduct that are unique to ourselves as an individual. These actions and behaviors are connected to many other aspects in our life, ultimately encompassing the overall idea of a “lifestyle”. Although it is seen often as ambiguous in nature, the concept of a “lifestyle” is actually quite simple. The root of this word contains the word “style”, which is typically used to describe a specific conduct or action. However, when fixed onto the word “life”, this transitions into a more complex term. In society, an individual’s lifestyle is simply defined as the way in which that individual chooses to live their life. This includes how the individual decides to conduct their …show more content…

There are many social determinants that are present in our society, yet many of these determinants are not discussed. This is due to the fact that categorizing and discussing social groups and determinants is often seen as controversial. Although this may be true, comprehending and discussing these determinants are essential, as many of these determinants affect our health. These determinants affect our health simply by altering our own actions as well as the environment around us. Thus, comprehension of social determinants, the environment, and its ultimate connection with an individual’s lifestyle is essential in assessing many of the public health issues prevalent …show more content…

This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, socioeconomic status, education, geographical location, early childhood development, occupation, and social support. Social determinants are classified, specifically, as fixed or variable. This ultimately means that one’s classified “social determinant” is either something that is unable to be changed or is something that is able to be altered. Therefore, there are some social determinants for which the individual has a choice on whether or not their actions are controlled by those specific facets of themselves. For example, some social determinants for which an individual has no choice includes their race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status (or more specifically, the socioeconomic status for which you are born to), and early childhood development. Compared to other social determinants, these are factors to every individual that we are unable to change, due to the fact that these specific characteristics are traits that we are born with. Although some of these determinants are able to be changed, the health implications that are connected to these factors will continue to alter and change the individual’s life. For instance, there are specific health issues that affect more individuals in a specific race or gender compared to another social group, ultimately altering the individual’s health. Also, socioeconomic status is linked to many

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