Social Determinants of Health - Literature review Example

Social Determinants of Health Name Institution Date Social Determinants of Health Introduction Social determinants of health comprise both the economic and social situations that impact the health of individuals and communities. These situations are molded by the amount of available resource that is in turn influenced by policy varieties. Thus social determinants of health affect features that are associated to health results. According Mustard, Frank & Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (1991), the determinants of health are aspects that contribute to an individual’s present state of health. The determinants of health include; health behaviors for instance alcohol use, unprotected sex and smoking; genes and biology for example sex and age; social features for instance income and gender; physical environment for example crowding conditions; medical services which comprises accessibility to quality health care. Other factors include culture and social status. Thus in order to fully tackle social determinants of health addressing the matter is a key approach in attaining equity among individuals. This is due to the manifestation of diverse levels of fundamental social advantages or disadvantages within the community. For that reason this paper seeks to address the issue of unprotected sex as a social determinant, its importance for health and its disadvantages. A health Message about behavior Interventions that can aid decrease unprotected sex among individuals include personal psychotherapy, social and behavioral backing for instance peer education, decisiveness and relationship sustenance, deliberating on attitudes and beliefs, videos among others. Hence behavioral involvements lead to important risk reduction in unprotected sex. A health message for instance unprotected sex leads to HIV/AIDS can be identified and used so as to reduce the risk of unprotected sex especially among teenagers and youth. This message should then be transmitted by an instrument that will enable the message to reach the targeted group. Unprotected sex leads to HIV/AIDs as a form of a health message addressing the issue of unprotected sex can be relayed to its audience through the media by use of videos, in magazines and also pamphlets endangering individuals on the ills of unprotected sex. This message should be packaged in such a way that the recipients are able to fully internalize and absorb the message. For instance among the teenagers who either engage in unprotected sex knowingly or unknowingly. The message should be well packaged so as to ensure that the target population is in a position to internalize the message for their own benefit. There are many misconceptions about unprotected sex especially among the teenagers and the youth. Thus the preferred message about unprotected sex as a form of social behaviour should be able to capture these misconceptions in their messages. The mode of passing on the message should also be suitable for a certain target population. Among the youth and teenagers such messages should be packaged in forms of videos, songs or narrative so as to reach the target population. Thus a health message about behavior plays a crucial role in counter acting the behavior since it is through these messages that individuals will be made aware about the dangers of certain behavior. With such information individuals will be in a position to choose between healthy and unhealthy behavior. Hence these messages will greatly help to restrain an individual in engaging in unhealthy behavior that will put their health status at risk. Researchers have argued that excessive consumption of alcohol leads to individuals engaging in unprotected sex due to their weak judgments. Hence for this reason a behavioral message concerning unprotected sex should go hand in hand with a message on excessive consumption of alcohol. These healthy messages will enable the individual to cope with the challenges of unprotected sex or any other unhealthy risky behavior. Dangers of unprotected sex According to Smith and Wathiongo (2011), unprotected sex leads to many problems that is associated with disease and general health of an individual. Although it is believed that it will greatly satisfy an individual sexual urge its consequences are enormous. Generally sex necessitates for accountability of behavior and commitment. Hence as a result of multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex causes problems and regrets later. Thus individuals need to be aware of behavior especially the behavior of sex that is important as a health determinant. Unprotected sex as a form of sexual behavior has its own consequences. The risks of unprotected sex generally outweigh the rewards. It is believed that unprotected sex leads These risks varies from the humiliating to the absolutely lifetime changing. Individuals can contract a wide range of diseases during unprotected sex leads to more satisfaction of the sexual urge than safe sex. Whereas some of these diseases are curable others are not. In addition some sexually transmitted diseases do not show their indications particularly in men. Hence they may have contracted the disease without knowing it and therefore putting other sexual partners at risk whenever they engage in unprotected sex. Examples of treatable STDs from unprotected sex include; gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Invasion of scabies or crabs is another risk associated with unprotected sex. Scabies are small mites that burrow underneath the skin surface and continue laying eggs as they multiply. Crabs constitute a category of head lice that is commonly found in the pubic area of human body. Both are spread through sexual contact. Luckily both can be treated by use of over the counter liniment. Despite it being treated it can cause trauma and a lot of embarrassment to those who have been infected (Oliver, Garner, Boland, & Classroom Video 2006). Another major risk of unprotected sex comprise of unwanted pregnancy and incurable STDs such as HIV/AIDS. Although HIV as a result of several researches on medicine can be controlled, contracting the disease either requires one to be on medication for the rest of their life and being responsible in regards to informing their future partners on their health status before engaging in any form of sexual behavior. HIV is a pandemic that individuals undergo several changes within their body systems that will require full time medication. Pregnancy can be a life shifting involvement. A woman choosing to undergo an abortion or put a child up for adoption can be emotionally challenging. Abortion is a traumatizing experience especially for teenagers. Due to lack of resources these teenagers find themselves visiting quacks for abortion service. Sometimes this end up with the young girls losing their lives affecting their reproductive health in future. At the same time keeping the baby and parenthood has both rewards and trials (Marmot & Wilkinson 2006). The dangers of unprotected sex have been well explained by Brunner and Marmot (2006), They argue that a lot of individuals engage in unprotected sex as a result of lack of appropriate information regarding the dangers associated with the said behavior especially the teenagers and the youth. Information is power and when an individual does not have enough and appropriate information they engage in risky behavior without being aware of the consequences that await them. Hence this group of individuals needs to be furnished with the necessary information on unprotected sex so that they can be made aware of the dangers and how to cope with the social issue appropriately (Brunner and Marmot 2006). Importance of determinants of health Cohen & Human Rights Watch (Organization) (2004), have explained the features that influence health are numerous and interactive in nature. Health promotion is fundamentally concerned with action and advocacy to full address the role of the determinants of health. Determinants of health are vital for assessing the health status of an individual. Hence these are factor that determine whether an individual is living a healthy life or not. These encompass not only those factors that are linked to the activities of an individual such as conducts and routines but also aspects such as income and social position, education, occupation and working surroundings, access to suitable health services and the physical setting. These are regarded as the social determinants of health and are vital as they affect the choice of intervention and the need for the resources to deal with the issues (Cohen & Human Rights Watch Organization 2004). Social Determinants of health The link between the social determinants and health is a two-way street. Poverty has a profound effect on an individual health status. Hence people living in deplorable conditions have a higher risk of premature death. In addition the economic inequality which is the gap between the rich and the poor. As the gap between the rich and the poor widens, health status declines. In regards to the social status of an individual; people with lower social standing in the society have a high risk than their counter parts. Employment and job security; having a job is normally good for health than being jobless. However, stress at work has a vital effect on an individual’s health status. Social support networks whereby individuals are encouraged to create a greater support from families, friends and the community at large. This is usually linked to a better health. Wathiongo (2011) argues that the way of life of people which constitutes their culture play a vital role in the wellbeing of individuals. He argues that that there are certain customs, traditions and beliefs that are practiced by individuals that put their health status at risk. Wathiongo argues that in the African setting there are customs that believes in engaging in unprotected sex so as to appease their ancestors whenever they wrong them. Such belief systems lead the individuals to engage in risky acts that eventually affect their health. Distribution of income as a social determinant plays a crucial role in an individual’s health. When there is a poor distribution of income individuals become susceptible to diseases due to lack of accessibility to health facilities. To address this factor distribution of income should be fair so as to avoid the creation of a high and lower classes in the society (Wathiongo 2011). During their everyday practice nurses encounter the effects of social determinants of health on individuals. They encounter individuals who are more vulnerable to illness and experience complications for long periods of time while in hospital. Thus the determinants of health play a fundamental role in the health system and its importance cannot be underscored. Hence in order to address the issue and importance of health determinants there is need to: Develop appropriate policies that will restore and enhance social infrastructure; develop policies that will full address the determinants of health through a problem solving approach.Thus until individuals and states make it a priority to address social determinants of health nothing much will be achieved. Appropriate policy making is key in addressing the determinants of health. Lack of access or limited access to health services has a great effect on the individual’s health status. Thus effective health policies should be put in place so as to ensure that accessibility to quality health care services is universal to each individual in the society. The solution lies in the prevention an effective efforts to enable those individuals affected by these conditions to participate fully and appropriately in the community (Marmot & Wilkinson 2006). Individual behavior and characteristic An individual’s behavioral patterns also play an important role as a health determinant. Hence certain risky behaviors for instance unprotected sex and smoking have an impact on an individual’s life. Smith (2011), argues that an individual behavior greatly affect his/her lifestyle and also his health status. They further argue that teenagers who frequently engage in unprotected sex risk contracting STDs and HIV that has no cure. Thus for this reason a person’s lifestyle will determine whether the individual is living a healthy lifestyle or a risky one. They postulate that for an individual to shun a risky lifestyle policies should be put in place so as to address the risky behavioral attitudes of an individual. Attitude change and behavioral transformation policies should be put in place. This is whereby the target population is made aware about the ills of a risky behavior and encouraged to change their attitudes towards living a healthy life. Furthermore focus should be emphasized on research agenda so as to increase individual understanding of how the basic determinants of health influence personal and communal wellbeing. Thus strategies should be adopted for the improvement of individual’s health while at the same time addressing the determinants that affect individual’s lifestyles. Physical and environmental determinants of health Brunner and Marmot (2006), argues that the physical environment within which individual live is an important determinant of health. Thus a conducive physical ecology will lead to a healthy life and vice versa. Hence the presence of safe water and clean air, healthy work places, safe houses, communities and roads are physical factors that contribute to a good health. Thus the surroundings of an individual greatly influence the health status of an individual. An environment that is not favorable and lacks the basic necessities of life is prone to diseases hence an unhealthy lives for the individuals in that community (Brunner and Marmot 2006). Conclusion The relationship between determinants of health and health status of an individual is remarkably consistent across communities. Hence it is not a phenomenon reserved for vulnerable groups only. Thus these determinants have real implications on the health care system. It is therefore crucial to enact appropriate health policies that will enable individuals to lead a healthy and productive life. These health policies together with behavioral policies should guide individuals on what is healthy and unhealthy for them. Determinants of health play a very important role in determining the health status of a certain community and hence cannot be ignored at any given point. Health policies therefore define how individuals ought to be mindful of their health status. For any community to be perceived as healthy, certain policies need to be put in place and its implementation effected appropriately. Reference Brunner, E. and Marmot, M. (2006), Social organization, stress, and health. In Marmot, M. and Wilkinson, R.Social Determinants of Health. London: Oxford University Press, p. 13. Cohen, J., & Human Rights Watch (Organization). (2004). Unprotected: Sex, condoms, and the human right to health. New York: Human Rights Watch. Marmot, M. G., & Wilkinson, R. G. (2006). Social determinants of health. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Mustard, J. F., Frank, J., & Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. (1991). The determinants of health. Toronto, Ont: Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Population Health Program. Oliver, P., Garner, S., Boland, M., & Classroom Video (Firm : Australia). (2006). Determinants of health. Bendigo, Vic: Classroom Video. Smith J., (2011). Unprotected Sex among young people: New York Wathiongo N., (2011). “Unprotected sex”, Community Epidemiology (2) no 3 pp 160- 175). Read More