Health Determinants - Assignment Example

Health Determinants 02/18 Introduction The patient was diagnosed with depression, characterized by low self-esteem, not wanting to participate in any activity in the society, as well as symptoms related to schizophrenia such as hallucinations. Social determinants of health significantly influenced the mental well-being of this patient. Jacobsen (2014) notes that the social determinants of health are molded by the manner in which wealth and resources are distributed in the society and those who have no access to them significantly suffer mentally, due to lack of essential building blocks of life. The patient encountered hardships as a result of his lack of income. He was unable to provide for his daily needs, which was accelerated by rising cost of living. He was not able to acquire basic education due to his lack of finances and therefore could not cope with the demands of the current job market. Such people are discriminated against in his society and would not be considered for leadership positions. Consequently, this socio-economic instability also affected the patient’s ability to establish and support his own family. Moreno and Warah (2007) state that a significant proportion of the world’s population lack access to a proper living environment. The physical environment in which the patient lived exposed him to health hazards and stress, leaving him without adequate shelter and clothing. This is a significant determinant of health as the patient was not protected from hostile environmental conditions such as rain and mosquito bites, among other harmful issues. Moreover, personal hygiene cannot be maintained without proper shelter and access to safe food and water. Individual risk factors also determine the overall health status of a person. For example, the patient turned to substance abuse as a mechanism of coping with his stress. Maurer and Smith (2013) argue that emotionally stressed people accelerate their demise through a lack of understanding their predicament and by engaging in negative behavior. Stressed individuals tend to seek self-gratification through undignified behavior especially when they lack money and resources. They tend to abuse illicit drugs that are easily obtained through the black market. The patient had a long history of abusing substances such as cannabis sativa and resin. Although these substances made the condition worse, the patient used them as stimulants. Public Health Interventions Jacobsen (2014) postulates that a minor change in a social system might influence the entire system; therefore, it should not be ignored. It is important for public health policy makers to identify potential changes that may alleviate socio-economic problems associated with living in poor neighborhoods. For example, promoting the establishment of low cost grocery stores in these areas could increase the access of nutritious food to low-income populations. Leffers and Michell (2010) noted that public health experts are often overlooked when important policy decisions such as urban planning models are made. These experts need to be involved in the development of important strategies such as system modeling. These strategies can address gaps that exist in the society and changes can be made to enhance objectivity and healthy living for all. It is important that all individuals have equal access to essential services such as an education, which is important in reducing despondency among disadvantaged individuals (Maurer & Smith, 2013). According to Jacobsen (2014), better education is associated with higher economic status and better overall health. It is therefore necessary for public policy developers to consider access to education as a core component of public health decisions. The Alberta Health and Wellness program is an example of prioritizing education as a critical component of public health policy. O’Hara (2005) notes that this program was a form of public health intervention intended to mobilize resources and alleviate inequity in access to education. Alberta Health and Wellness promoted early childhood education and the enhancement of school programs to teach necessary life skills and promote healthy choices. Public health policies also need to focus on the physical environment to promote development of ideal habitats that do not expose residents to health risks. Moreno and Warah (2007) note that unplanned development of structures in poor neighborhoods make proper healthcare unachievable due to unacceptable sanitation, inaccessibility to caregivers, and regular contact with health hazards. Yonkers, New York, developed a public health intervention program that was aimed at decongesting the settlements through a city-wide re-settlement program, whereby households were moved to freshly developed public houses to enhance healthy living. According to Gould and Turner (2007), research conducted after two years of policy implementation indicated that the general well-being of those who participated in the re-settlement had improved and anti-social behaviors reduced significantly. The new environment provided better social amenities and accessibility to higher quality healthcare. Public housing programs have been applied successfully to eliminate low income neighborhoods that are prone to illness, especially mental disorders, associated with improper living conditions and poverty. In Chicago, Illinois, households in low income areas were moved to higher income neighborhoods through the Gautreaux program in 1990s. According to Greg and Zuberi (2006), there was general improvement in the mental health of the population, characterized by a 30% reduction in depression among the women from the households that moved to the new settlement, as well as a general enhancement of social interrelation. This is an indication of the impact of the physical environment on mental health. Individual risk factors are a health determinant that often seems easy to address but prove considerably difficult to eliminate since they originate from our own free will or ignorance. Public health interventions need to promote education and prevention of substance abuse through community based approaches, such as community meetings where peers can describe the dangers of drug and substance abuse based on personal experiences (Leffers & Michell, 2010). These groups can be effective with the guidance of a public health professional that provides education regarding important organizational functions. Such community groups are useful in the identification of substance abuse cases. Individuals suffering from mental health issues as a result of substance abuse can be effectively discovered through the establishment of strong community networks. Otherwise, they are likely to remain unnoticed and deteriorate due to lack of medical attention (Maurer & Smith, 2013). Community networking has been applied throughout the United States to confront a wide range of anti-social behaviors including substance abuse, through public health intervention programs such as the ‘Communities that Care Program’ (Botvin, 2000). Such community strategies can be used to promote social competence to help community members avoid substance use. When people understand the risks of substance use and ways to avoid them, they are able to network and participate in peer counseling. Public health interventions need to promote such strong networks within the community to ensure that each individual has the opportunity to learn about the individual risk factors for substance abuse (Maurer & Smith, 2013). Conclusion The impact of health determinants on the patient’s mental condition adversely affected his recovery process. The social environment is critical to the patient’s mental health since it affects his daily interactions with other members of the society. On the other hand, if society discriminates against him due to his health condition and way of living, the problem is likely to persist regardless. Education is a significant factor in determining status and financial capacity in society and needs to be equally accessible to all. The physical environment similarly influences the mental health of the patient and there is a need to ensure that living conditions are uplifted in order to achieve improvement in mental health. Individual risk factors, such as substance abuse, significantly affect a person’s mental health status. Community networking opportunities can be instituted to alleviate this problem, specifically through peer counseling. The role of a public health nurse needs to include collaboration on public policy development so that public health interventions can be promoted through informed opinions. He/she needs to participate in health promotion and disease prevention by reviewing current community situations and encouraging healthy behaviors throughout the community as a whole. References Botvin, G. J. (2000). Preventing drug abuse in schools: social and competence enhancement approaches targeting individual-level etiologic factors. Addictive Behaviors, 25, 887–897. Gould, E and Turner, M. (2007). Does neighborhood matter? assessing recent evidence. Housing Policy Debate, 8, 833-866. Greg J. D. & Zuberi, A. (2006). Mobility lessons from gautreaux and moving to opportunity. Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy, 1, 110-126. Jacobsen, K.H. (2014). Introduction to Global Health, 2nd ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Leffers, J., & Michell, E. (2010). Conceptual model for partnership and sustainability in global health. Public Health Nursing, 28 (1), 91–102 Maurer, F. A., & Smith, C.M. (2013). Community/Public Health Nursing Practice, 5th ed. New York, NY: Sounders. Moreno, E. L., & Warah, R. (2007). State of the World’s Cities Report 2006/2007: 30 Years of Shaping the Habitat Agenda, New York, NY: UN-HABITAT. O’Hara, P. (2005), Adopting an Alberta Social Determinants of Health Framework, Edmonton, AL: Social Planning Council. Read More