Social Determinants of Health in Australia - Essay Example

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH INTRODUCTION According to a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), most of the country’s citizens have an optimistic perspective about their quality of life on matters concerning health; in fact, over three quarters of the citizens said they were enchanted and contented (AIHW 2012). However, the rest of the percentage consists of people with mixed feelings and the customarily discontented; nonetheless, there is increase in the number of smokers from the age of 13 years, and the people suffering or affected by cancer and cardio-vascular diseases. Remarkably, the health situation in Australia is extraordinary and impressive in most aspects compared to other neighboring countries; however, the cancer issues continue to multiply creating the need to counter them and understand those affected for utter support. Definitely, cancer is an ailment that changes lives of most people with the survivors having positive outcomes resulting from well adjustment over time; nonetheless, there are still those that face daily challenges. The common health problems that result from cancer include weariness, aching, sexual complications, despair, apprehension and frame of mind deficiency; largely, these problems appear to be the core disruptors of the affected lives but the most frustrating are the social struggles (AIHW 2010). Typically, while undergoing treatment, most cancer patients are able to change their morals and objectives, perspectives on life and how they relate with others as part of the social development program: however, there are barriers such as occupational challenges, hitches with insurance and health worries that also negatively affect their social lives hence there still lacks a sheer solution. This article gives a brief analysis of the social impact on cancer evaluating the different social determinants of health relevant to the cancer and low socio-economic groups in Australia. Social Determinants of Health for Cancer and Low Socio-economic Groups Employment and Occupation Currently, cancer is the leading burden disease in Australia and has dominated for the last eleven years; the burden is a result of lives lost over the years due to premature death and disabilities from prostate, colorectal, breast, lung and melanoma cancers (CVA 2013). Occupational and social environment aspects of the infected affect the mortality rate; however, these are not the only core contributors but they are key determinants of a significant number of dissimilar cancers. The occupation determinant is about the exposures that people face in their workplaces; for instance, some of the machines and equipment used produce radioactive rays, toxic gases in form of smoke among others that are harmful and affect human living standards (Ashley 1998). The Social Health Determinants Alliance of Australia projects that as of 2012, 52% of the deaths resulting from breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers had the primary determinant as occupation; moreover, a person’s social environment also affects their health depending on the location and the purpose or business they have (SHDA 2014). Most people are aware that tobacco is a common cause of lung cancer depending on the period a person has smoked but there is the concept of passive smoking through standing too close or living with people that engage in smoking; additionally, the inhaling of toxic fumes can also cause lung and other critical cancers. Largely, in Australia, the cancer rate for men is significantly higher than that of the female gender especially for the cancer of the larynx that is 12 times more that of women; this is because of most men adopting drinking and smoking habits from their social environments (Jody 2014). However, most of the men experience complications after some time when these behaviors become a lifestyle, and the diagnosis takes place at a certain age in their lives; actually, the more the number of years (age), the higher the chances. Access to Health Services Determinant Significantly, between 2008 and 2012, the number of cancer cases in Australia increased by over ten thousand cases per year; in addition, almost half of the infected die every year. Cancer is the cause of 30% of all the deaths in Australia every year and survival depend on one’s distance from the major cities, the kind of cancer they have, their socio-economic status and the health care systems in the region (AIHW 2013). Access to health services is essential for everyone since it is through good and frequent access of services that a person is able to seek intervention or probably cure for small-preventable problems that when overlooked can become critical. Shockingly, cancer has a stage that is prior to dissemination where a process of prevention initiates and is extended through therapeutic interventions; however, these services are limited and accessible to the few that are constant. Atypically, there is program in Australia, Cancer Australia, which dedicates its services to providing information based on prevention of cancer among other related services, but in reference to the statistics, only few know about the program (AIHW 2014). Gaining access to the right health services can dearly influence cancer’s progress since there is the provision of procedures that base on early detection; nonetheless, there are comprehensive determinants of cancer that do not necessarily relate to health services but have a wider scope on the matter. Education Literacy or education is among the facets that apply in almost every social locus i.e. the background of a person as a child affects their chances on an educational perspective, which in return influences their social position (Alison 2009). Generally, education acts as a social foundation for people’s lives, whether it is their jobs, salary and their environment after all that; relatively, every one of these aspects secondarily influences health. It is through education that a person acquires the ability to construe all matters related to health through communication and interpretation. Education improves a person’s skills in prevention and management of health complications; for instance, learning about cancer and other illnesses gives one an idea of the food they should not eat or behaviors they should avoid. Nonetheless, patients are not the only ones to take the blame because doctors and other health specialists should provide utter and comprehensive information taking into consideration the person they are addressing. In situations of complications, patients seek advice and assistance from physicians who should inform them more often on some effects of the social behaviors and environments; for instance, when a smoker visits a doctor about chest pains, they leave knowing about lung cancer and the excess mortality. Socioeconomic Determinant (Income) Wealth, education, lifestyle and occupation make the social status of a person; furthermore, the interaction between these aspects is very essential since they can all affect one, either negatively or positively to a person’s health. In Australia and the rest of the world, the people on an upper scale when it comes to health, are also higher on the social ladder with those on the lower half getting intermittent and momentary exceptions (Richard 2014). Income is a core influence of the socioeconomic gap, relatively and absolutely; moderately, people from a humble background lack the basic needs and are usually desperate for any jobs due to the inadequate resources and opportunities. Good health is not a priority for the low socio-economic groups despite the multiple risks that surround most of their lifestyles. Poverty is considered as the leading health determinant due to is broad social conditions and policies; for instance, most of the people in Australia, that have lung and liver cancer are not able to pay their hospital bills though they claim to have engaged in drinking and smoking due to frustration and struggles in life (Michael 2007). Conclusion and Summary Resolutely, health inequalities mostly occur due to the different social determinants of health; Australia is one of the many nations that experience the social demerits but the most affected are the people in the rural areas (due to remoteness) and the poor too. However, the analysis has established the biggest challenge as communication, not only in the rural areas but also in the cities; additionally, environmental aspects also play a significant role. Resultantly, there is a strong relationship between most of the social and economic determinants; for instance, the people subjected to low salary or wages and poor health lack a strong education basis. The facet of illiteracy affects the capacity of people to apply any health info; besides that, low income also reduces the chances of a person accessing and getting utter healthcare services. Even though most of the social determinants affect the people, the health sector also has a significant role to play especially with the increase in the cases of cancer in Australia; this involves perfections in communication of the essential information to the society (CVA 2013). All health challenges need united attitude from the physicians, patients and the community with every effort focused on deeds, literacy contribution, financial expansion, making the environment better and giving social support. Relative to social factors, economic and environmental aspects are also significant transitional determinants of health in Australia, and they all require policies and strategies that counter the different challenges. Nonetheless, the paper has comprehensively analyzed the different social determinants of health concerning cancer and the low socio-economic groups. 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