Social Skills for Practice - Essay Example

The research carried out aimed at determining the importance of social determinants of health. The case study is based on the question of why parents preferred the emergency department. Most parents could drive over 30kms to access health care at the emergency department. An increase in the use of ED cases taken for primary care: international data showed a correlation between ED use and deprivation, with high levels of deprivation making use of ED services. The age group found using this service more are children under 10. The SDH concept is mainly taken in two views; the structural socio-political concept and the intermediary close to the person (Parry 6). Deprivation is a portion of the population disadvantaged based on some characteristics: ethnicity, lack of education, inadequate income, lack of car ownership, and inability to raise funds (Testi and Ivaldi 325). Of the children treated in ED and discharged, 25% were from areas with the highest level of deprivation.15% were from areas under low deprivation. Data shows that most children attending ED are discharged (parry 14-18).

Parents’ narratives gave a vision of the trauma and drama of having a sick child these showed their choice of taking them to the CYWHS ED. Parents also had stories of past episodes that involved their sick children which influenced them to go back for CYWHS ED (Ivaldi and Testi 327). Most reasons that influenced their decision include lack of after-hours GP services, children as different consumer groups, they showed that GP has limited skill in treating and managing children, it also had a different time range for the treatment of children, the cost of attending a GP, and limited telephone services, a point brought out by most parents is the lack of alternatives so, opting to use ED services was the only option they had. In summary, the lack of services in health facilities is a structural, social determinant of health. Lack of after-hours in GP increases the use of ED. Lack of GP services influences the ability of the family to access appropriate and timely care (Parry 38).