Social Determinant of Health - Essay Example

Social Determinant of Health al Affiliation Social Determinant of Health Introduction Living conditions shape the nature of healthamong many Canadians. The social determinants of health describe these conditions in many families in the country. These conditions vary depending on the location of a given family. These families are affected differently by the social determinants of health. The essay will focus on three social determinants of health. These determinants will be income and social status, literacy levels, and culture. These social determinants will be focused upon in order to determine trends among several families in Canada. To highlight on these determinants, the essay will focus on Pam Allen;s family in a bid to explore these determinants of health. The focus will be on how these effects have impacted their health status in society. The family will be focused based on its culture, housing and level of income. The three will aid in relating a health condition based on the determinants. Family description Pam Allen leaves with her family and after a series of visit to a physician she is diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The case gives an insight of her life until his eventual death. The cancer exposes the family to sequence of risk factors. This includes the personal risks to Pam and the effect of her disease to the wellbeing of the family. The treatment and procedures involved in could prove costly to the family. The social determinants of health could be a factor in determining the type of medication Pam will be exposed to. The main focus will be on how culture, income and literacy could be a factor in determining the health of the remaining individuals I the family. This will be analyzed with respect to the current health of Pam Allen. (Canadian neighborhood Season 1-3) Income and social status Pam’s family is a middle income earner. This means that the family needs to compete with other elite families for the same resources. This means that cost of leaving is high while the income is low. Comparing the neighborhood to the family, the family has a lower social status based on their income and social interactions. This implies that the family only can afford a public medical plan in that their visit to a hospital is only to medical emergencies. This is an effort by the family to cut on medical costs. The family invests less on occasional checkup. Thus this could mean that in case of a chronic disease, early detection and management is unlikely to the family. The costly treatment offered to Pam could affect negatively the health status of the reaming family members. The overstrained budget could negatively affect the lives of the remaining family members. The overstrained family budget could mean other necessities are forgone in order to compensate on the cost incurred during treatment. The rest of the family will be required to operate at a lower budget than their initial family budget. This would have an impact on the health status of the family (Raphael, 2009). The father would be stressed in that he would be caught between providing for the family and ensuring their health. This will mean increasing his working hours to compensate for any cost incurred. According to Mikkonen and Raphael (2011) chronic stress could impact negatively on the physical composition of the body. This means that stress limits the time taken by an individual in engaging in physical exercises and taking healthy foods. Culture The economic status of the family status is likely to be inherited to the children. Meaning a big portion of the family’s fortune would have been spent of treatment. This means that the next generation of the family would be operating on a deficit. The children having access to public education will mean that their future will be determined by the grades they score while undertaking their education. If they fail then they will be face the same problems their father is facing. The family has adopted a culture that limits their interaction with the healthcare providers. This means that most of their time is spend between work and school. The family lacks a proper exercising and healthy eating culture meaning they are more concern on fulfilling their economic requirement than ensuring their health wellbeing. This culture could impact negatively on the health of the family. Culture is inherited and it could have both a positive and a negative impact on the health status of an individual (Kozier, 2008). The family current culture posses a great danger to their health and the future of their children. The time spends at work and school should be minimal in order to give room health related practice. For instance, the time spend by family members in taking care of Pam would be increased. As the disease regresses more time would be spend between hospitals and their home thus little time will be available for exercise and other health related activities. Literacy levels Pam initially had little knowledge on his health condition. Quick interventions would have minimized on the cost of treatment. Thus the family is ignorant of the fact that healthy living requires early intervention and that disease management would have been cheaper if the family had opted for regular checkups. This could mean that money that would otherwise be used on health could be saved and channeled into other economic activities. The social and economic status of the family could limit the children access to tertiary level education. The children need to be prepared for a higher level education in a bid to change their current status in society. Meaning the family needs to formulate models that will allow their children to access education in order to ensure their future employment status. The Public Health Agency of Canada (2013) indicates that low literacy level would mean low wages or unemployment. The current status of Pam is directly linked to his literacy level in that ignorance deters her from accessing medical assistance in time. This means that the economic and social problems experienced by the family could be changed once the remaining family members adapt a different approach in managing their health. The educational system should be able to ensure their future job security this unlimited access to healthcare services. Conclusion The family’s potential health risks are directly linked to their living standards. Low literacy levels are the reason as to why Pam Allen is caught out between his health and the family’s economic status. The family overstrained budget could have a negative impact on the health status of the remaining family member. Social determinants of health are crucial while formulating government and social policies. The family needs to keep in mid these factors and work on models that will improve their current status. Reference Kozier, B. (2008).Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process and Practice. Toronto: Pearson Mikkonen, J., & Raphael, D. (2010). Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts. Toronto: York University School of Health Policy and Management. Public Health Agency of Canada .(2013).What Makes Canadians Healthy or Unhealthy? Retrieved from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ph-sp/determinants/determinants-eng.php#personalhealth Raphael, D. (2009). Social Determinants of Health: Canadian Perspectives. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press “The Canadian Neighborhood” retrieved from http://www.thecanadianneighbourhood.ca Read More