Social Determinants of Health - Coursework Example

Social Determinants of Health ‘Social determinants of health’ refer to the various conditions in which, an individual survives wherein these determinants impose a strong effect on the health of public in general. These conditions can be classified as social and economic that influences the health of an individual or a group of individuals. Correspondingly, the social factors of health include the place, where an individual is born, lives and performs his/her role as a citizen of the country (WHO, 2015).

The social and economic conditions experienced by an individual like position, power and financial stability and various other factors, affects health. It is in this context that ‘social determinants’, like poverty, lack of knowledge and health awareness among people, together contributes to health inequalities (WHO, 2015). Communicable disease refers to health a problem that possesses high chances of being transmitted from one person to another. These are caused by agents like bacteria and virus that release toxic substances in human body and thereafter, causing damages to the cells.

The chain of infection comprises the agent, source, way of transmission and host who are generally prone to infections. The source of infection is the environment in which, the microorganisms exist and mode is the process by which, the disease is transferred from one to another human being. It is thus that a nurse plays a crucial role in controlling communicable diseases. The health care facilities in hospitals are looked after by the nurses, who are again responsible for providing a healthy environment to the patients (Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, 2010).

The type of infection identified in an individual, also influences the level of care provided by the nurses. A nurse is responsible for monitoring a patient and to prescribe antibiotics according to the type of disease. Nurses are required to provide health aid to the patients as well as take precautions so that the disease is not transmitted to others and is cured at the earliest (Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, 2010). References Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. (2010). Prevention and Control of Communicable Disease.

Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/cdc-section1 WHO. (2015). Social determinants of health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/