The Social Determinants of Health - Term Paper Example

Running Head: Health Messages and behavioral change The Social Determinants of Health Name Institution Date Table of Content 1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................3 2.0 Health Messages……......................................................................................................3 3.0 Social determinants of Health………............................................................................4 3.1 Income and income Inequality…………………...........................................................4 3.2 Education………………................................................................................................5 3.3 Employment and Working Conditions...........................................................................6 3.4 Housing…………………………………......................................................................7 3.5 Social Exclusion….........................................................................................................8 3.6 Early Childhood Development………………...............................................................9 3.7 Unemployment and Job security...................................................................................10 4.0 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….........10 References…………………………………………………………………………….12 1.0 Introduction Social determinants of health are the factors that affect the health of human beings and their well-being. They are the circumstances in which we are born and brought up in. Social factors usually cause health problems directly but it is believed that they cause the causes of illness (Dixon, 2000). For instance, smoking causes health issues like CHD, COPD and lung cancer, but it is due to social, including environmental, and cultural factors that greatly influences the possibilities of an individual to or not to smoke. Marmot and Wilkinson, (2006) define social determinants of health as social and economic conditions that influence peoples’ health status. The social determinants not only cause ill health but may also lead to health inequalities. According to Harwood et al, (2009), social determinants of health are environmental conditions where people are born, and live that affect their health and quality of life outcomes. In fact, the main determinants of the health of individuals are not the choices of lifestyle or medical treatments, but the social environment that surrounds them. The way the society is structured determines the lives people lead, and how risky they are exposed to health problems. 2.0 Health messages Several health messages have been developed with the intention of preventing people from involving in behaviours that could otherwise cause health problems to them (Rimer and Kreuter, 2006). One of the health message intended to change human behavior is, Say “No” to drugs According to Dorfman, Wallack, and Woodruff, (2005), drug abuse involves taking drugs that are harmful to the mental, social or physical well-being of a person. Drug abuse is considered as a vice and is unacceptable in the society. The practice is associated with healthy risks and to some extent it may lead to death. Drugs abuse changes the behaviour of individuals making them addicted. When frequently taken, drugs affect the human health and the functions of the body parts like liver, heart, kidneys, lungs and brain (Henningfield, Clayton and Pollin, 2006). It may also lead to diseases’ contraction like hepatitis, AIDS and tetanus which is spread through sharing of infected needles. At its advance intake, they may lead to severe intoxication and eventually death. Harwood et al, (2009) are quick to note that a lot of money is required to buy drugs, and this may influence a person to involve in crimes leading to imprisonment. Individuals who use drugs are prone to interpersonal relations problems and may lose their friends and family support. 3.0 Social determinants of health Issuing health messages purposely to change the behaviour of individuals has not effectively helped to reduce prevalence of health problems in the society. Many victims of drug abuse have found themselves in the situation due to various social factors (Galea and Vlahov, 2002). Giving health messages without addressing the social determinants of health may not prevent an individual from participating in the vice. In societies where people are marginalized in respect, for instance to their status and race, the issue of controversy must be addressed. Thus, mere giving of health messages is like a lip service, and may not adequately address the problem of drug abuse. For the purpose of this study, a number of social determinants of health that relates to drug abuse shall be discussed. 3.1 Income and Income inequalities This is the most significant social determinant of health. Amount of income determines the overall living conditions of people, and also affects their psychological conditions. It also shapes health-related behaviours like the quality of diet a person takes, consumption of alcohol and excessive tobacco use (Raphael et al, 2006). Income can be related to health in two different perspectives. First, how the amount of income an individual receives and second, how income distribution affect the health of a person. People with low income are exposed to material and other related social deprivation. As a result, such people and families are not able to afford basic health requirements like food, housing and clothing. Such deprivation makes it harder for individuals to involve in educational, cultural and recreational ventures (Marmot, 2005). Individuals with income problems in most cases become so much frustrated in life, and are at a risk of engaging in drug abuse. Many drug addicts are aware of the effects of drugs to their life, but due economic hardships they found themselves using drugs. To them, taking for instance alcohol makes them forget their problems, although it is not a permanent solution. Therefore, a much as income disparities remain unaddressed, the issue of drug abuse shall prevail in the society. Individuals with low incomes may be tempted to commit suicide due to inability to face the reality of life. According to Syme, (2004), research indicates that marginalized individuals with low incomes are the most affected with drugs compared to wealthy individuals. Health practitioners’ effort to fight against drug abuse through communication of health messages has been frustrated due of the sad reality of income inequality among individuals who view drugs as their source of comfort. Social exclusion due to income inequalities, in the long run affect the health of individuals and the abilities to lead a comfortable day-to-day life, free of drugs. 3.2 Education This is another key social determinant of drug abuse in the society according to Von Rueden et al, (2006). Individuals who have high levels of education tend to be healthy than those who are less or not educated. There is a correlation between the level of education and other social determinants of health like employment, working conditions and income level. Education allows an individual to meet the socioeconomic requirements of life. Contrary to this, less educated people may not be in a position to access better social and economic resources. Unfortunately, societies are faced with the scenario where not all people are educated, but only a few have a chance to access quality education. High illiteracy levels among the youth contribute to drug abuse in most nations (Noone, 2009). Some of the victims of drug abuse are not aware of the consequences of using drugs. Many young poor people who have not had an opportunity to attend formal education resort to drug use because they are always idle. People who are not educated don’t understand the world better and are not in a position to influence the societal factors in a way that conveniently shapes their health. This is why some of them are not able to interpret the health messages they come across. It is very difficult to convince an illiterate person not to take drugs especially the addicts. Thus, giving health messages is not enough remedy to drug abuse; people should be sensitized on the dangers of drug abuse in all institutions. It is important to realize that education increases the general understanding of how to improve an individual’s health through personal actions (Raphael, 2003). Through education, people acquire sophisticated skills which enable them to assess how developed behaviours might harm or benefit their health. Therefore, they gain the ability and more resources that allow them to attain healthier lifestyles. 3.3 Employment and working conditions According to Bartley, Ferrie, and Montgomery, (2006), working conditions are social determinants of health in respect to more time people spend in their places of work. Unfortunately, individuals already with poor health due to low income and education are the most exposed to poor working conditions. Various work dimensions that define the health outcomes of individuals include: physical conditions in the workplace, the pace of work and stress, working hours, individual development and employment security. High- stress jobs expose individuals to cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure and psychological problems like anxiety and depression (Brunner and Marmot, 2006). Most people who work under such conditions are more likely to involve in drug abuse like smoking and consumption of alcohol in order to relieve stress, and they mind less about effects of such behaviours. The worst experience is when individuals perceive that the reward they receive does not measure to the effort they put in the job. It creates a strong sense of dissatisfaction and they can develop mental and physical afflictions which could easily drive them to start using drugs. Research also indicates that imbalance between rewards and demands may lead to serious health problems (Brennan Ramirez, Baker and Metzler, 2008). Therefore, although people know that use of drugs is harmful to their health, the message itself may not prevent them from not taking drugs unless the conditions in which they are exposed to are adequately addressed. The message for instance, will not increase their pay or improve the poor working conditions that cause the discomfort and stress they experience. Such Individuals may continue to use drugs because they believe that drugs help them face the many problems which have become part of their life. 3.4 Housing The quality of housing is one of the social determinants of health, and is considered as a basic need to human being. Homelessness and poor quality housing is a threat to human health and also increases the risk to health problems related to drug abuse (Solar and Irwin, 2007). Housing has influence on health in various ways. People are exposed to different environments considering the type of housing they live in. In situations where houses are overcrowded, risks of disease transmissions like respiratory diseases are high. An Important aspect of housing is that it provides a basis for identity and self-expression. Less privileged groups of people like the Aboriginal hardly afford good housing facilities, and this has greatly affected their health conditions. Given the environments in which they live, they are prone to risks of using drugs (Roth, Cosgrove, and Carroll, 2004). Some of them may not be able to pay rent or they go through many hardships to raise house rent. The kind of life they live is full of frustrations and disappointments, and thus many of them resort to using drugs. People who are homeless experience high rate of mental and physical health than the rest of the population, and they are at the risk of using drugs. Even though we cannot rule out the fact that some individuals who have got good housing also use drugs, the rate of usage among the poor is much higher. 3.5 Social exclusion According to Raphael, (2006), social exclusion expresses unequal sharing of power among groups of people in the society, which leads to unbalanced access to social, political, economic and cultural resources. People who are socially excluded in most cases are unemployed and receive low wages. Such groups are not accessed to good social and health services, and even the chances of furthering their education are minimal. Aspects of social exclusion include: denying individuals from participating in civil affairs, economic exclusion, and denial from social production and denied access to social goods like education, housing, income security and health care. Social exclusion of different groups results into living conditions and individual experiences that are likely to put the health of such people in danger (Marmot and Wilkinson, 2006). The sense of denial the marginalized groups feel has really contributed to high level of drug abuse in these regions. Despite increased rate advocacy against drug abuse through use of health messages, many people who have developed a sense of hopelessness due to social exclusion have resorted to using drugs. Social exclusion makes individuals to develop a sense of hopelessness, powerlessness, and depression hence extending the possibilities of being excluded more in the society (Bartley, Ferrie, and Montgomery, 2006). Therefore, as long as social disparities are not adequately addressed by the government, the society shall continue to experience health problems related to social determinants which generate to bad behaviour of drug abuse. 3.6 Early Childhood development Research shows that childhood experiences determine the ability to resist health problems, coping skills and the well-being of an individual’s life. It also has immediate and future social, psychological, and biological effects upon the health of people. Childhood development is associated with some effects which have an impact on the growth and development of children at a later stage in their life (Kandel, (2002). Pathway effect in childhood development is situations where children are exposed to risk factors with have immediate health effects, and later lead to circumstances which have health consequences upon the children. For instance, failure to take a child to school may not be an immediate health problem, but later on due to inadequate learning abilities the child go through experiences that are harmful to the health. Many children experience poor childhood development because of the socioeconomic status of their parents, which is beyond their control. Lack of proper child upbringing is a contributing factor to prevailing drug abuse in the present society. A child that receives inadequate parental guidance is less informed about the consequences of indulging in bad behaviours of drug abuse that may later affect his or her health (Von Rueden et al, 2006). Some children start smoking and taking alcohol in the early stages of their life, and this is because they lack someone to educate and guide them as they grow up. Such children grow up when they are already addicted to drugs, and it may not be easy to convince them to stop using the drugs. Thus, health messages appear to be irrelevant and may not help in changing the behaviour of drug users who fall culprits due to the circumstances of life. Accumulated disadvantages the children are exposed to at their early age, lead to emotional and cognitive deficits like emotional immaturity and incompetence. It can also create a sense of learned helplessness which strongly determines character and behaviour (Rimer and Kreuter, 2006). 3.7 Unemployment and job security According to Bartley Ferrie and Montgomery, (2006), employment helps people to get income, promotes a feeling of identity and defines the kind of life an individual lives. Unemployment leads to psychological stress, social and material deprivation, and adoption of unhealthy behaviours. People who are not employed are prone to mental health problems like anxiety, and depression. Many employees are not only uncertain of maintaining their jobs, but they also fear the possibilities of securing a new job that would meet their daily needs. People who are idle are at high risk of using drugs compared to those who have a permanent secure job. Changing the behaviours of such people by mere use of health messages is likely to bear no fruits unlike when the issue of unemployment was sorted out. It is important to acknowledge that the reason why individuals who are not employed engage in selling and using drugs is not because of fun, but because they want to meet their needs. Some are forced to take drugs because of frustrations of being jobless. 4.0 Conclusion In Conclusion, it is evident that it is not adequate to use health messages as a tool to change the behaviour of individuals without first solving the social problems that lead to these behaviours. Most people are drug addicts because of the kind of life the live, which does not enable them to meet their daily needs; life full of stress, depression, low human dignity and hopelessness. As indicated above, several social factors affect the behaviour of individuals which eventually defines the health outcomes. The social determinants of health identified are income, education, housing, employment and working conditions, housing, social exclusion, early childhood development, and unemployment and job security. It is important that these issues are addressed by the relevant authorities since they are the drivers of bad behaviours like drug abuse. Health messages are good, but they are not effective way of changing human behaviour. References Dixon, J. (2000). Social determinants of health. Health Promotion International, 15(1), 87-89. Marmot, M. G., & Wilkinson, R. G. (2006). Social determinants of health. Oxford University Press, USA. Marmot, M. (2005). 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