Social Determinants of Health - Coursework Example

Social Determinants of Health Social Determinants of Health Introduction Social justice is not a matter that can be taken lightly. According to the WHO (2010), social justice comes down to a matter of life and death. This is because social justice impacts the lives of people significantly, from their lifestyles to the risk of acquiring a disease and early demise. It was about sixty years ago when the WHO stated in its Constitution that health is a fundamental and basic right of every individual and that exposure to conditions that are not hygienic and leading to failing health are matters of human rights issue. It was fifteen years ago when the UN founded the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. The reason for such a step was to annul the mounting disparities that were arising in the health status of people all over the world. The Commission observed that these disparities were primarily due to the differences in the living conditions of the people as well as the resources they had access to. According to the Commission, inequity is recognized as unfair or unjust disparities that exist in health status that can be averted and so can be solved (Who Regional Office for the Eastern Medi, 2008). The WHO defines social determinants of health as the social conditions in which people live and can have an impact on their health. The factors that influence the possibility of people living a healthy life include poverty, food insecurity, social exclusion, education, poor housing and poor employment (Farrell, McAvoy, Wilde, & Agency, 2008). Structural determinants trace their origin to the socioeconomic and political conditions at both the national and international scale. Such determinants are connected to elements that are governed by sheer power and authority with respect to the ownership and distribution of resources as well as the status and reputation associated with it. These relationships are required to promote health and prosperity in the area. The economic conditions of the country as well as the political, historical and environmental conditions are some of the determinants of health. These determinants are mirrored in the social determinants, which are defined as the living conditions of the people which may influence their lives (Who Regional Office for the Eastern Medi, 2008). Health inequities arise as a result of the marginalization, paucity and bigotry that a certain class of people is subject to. The situation does not exist in developing countries solely. In relatively advanced countries such as Australia, where people have access to, and a greater choice of, resources, the health status of a certain class of people is much lower than that of the majority of the Australians. If such deteriorating health conditions were prevalent over the entire country, it would have created a lot if outrage from the community. It has been observed that the health status of the Aboriginals is poorer than the relatively better health status of the majority of the population. It is only when an assortment of reports is published and voices raised against the depleting conditions that people take a stand for the Aboriginals. However Carson, Dunbar and Chenhall (2007) note that no immediate action is taken. The reason for the lower health status of the Aboriginals in Australia is pointed out as the poor, unhygienic health conditions in which they reside as well as to their deprived socioeconomic standing in the Australian society. Moreover, the failing health standards that are rampant in the Aboriginal community are also attributed to the lack of attention that is given by the health authorities in the improvement of the health conditions of the Aboriginals and their failure to give due importance to the traditions and social and cultural values and beliefs of these people (Carson, Dunbar, & Chenhall, 2007). Education as a Social Determinant of Health Outcome It has been observed that people who are not well-off or who remain socially left out do not have a healthy lifestyle and are more likely to be subject to the social determinants pointed out above such as poverty, poor housing conditions and unhygienic living environment. Moreover, it has been seen that such groups of people do not earn high, have poorer education and work in conditions that are hazardous to health, with lesser approach to resources and facilities that are enjoyed by the relatively well-off. In South Australia particularly, despite economic rapid progress of the region when compared to the economic progress of the entire country, the health inequity across the social gradient is escalating (SACOSS, 2008). In fact the Aboriginals are exposed to Fourth World standards of health (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall, & Bailie, 2007). Farrell, McAvoy, Wilde, and Agency (2008) are of the view that the groundwork for a person’s health through the rest of his life is established during his childhood. If a child sees poverty from a very young age, his chances of having a very healthy life are bleak. Since social determinants are interconnected, poverty also affects education and bad health. Education holds a lot of importance in the contemporary world. It affects a person’s choice for the profession that he opts for, which gives him much more control over the income that he can earn and the resources that he can access due to his socioeconomic status. The profession a person chooses also gives him control over the range of factors which affect health throughout the life of the person. Furthermore, education allows people to deal with the daily challenges that they face (SACOSS, 2008). Over the period of time, it has been established that the degree of education that a person acquires is intricately connected to the social gradient. In a survey carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics about the level of education that is rife in the Australians presented a stark picture of literacy amongst the population, representing the health divide and the limited access to resources that they had. The statistics reported that only approximately half of the Australian population (54%), aged between 15 to 74 years, was competent enough to deal with the complex demands of the routine work and life that people come across with on a daily basis. Amongst these people, a trend was observed that women were more literate at prose and health literacy as compared to men, who were more proficient at document literacy and numeracy (SACOSS, 2008). Another concept integral to the notion of education is health literacy. Health literacy is concerned with the education and awareness that the person has regarding ways that can promote his or her health and the conditions that can debilitate a person’s health. The ideology behind health literacy relates to the ability of a person to connect his or her information regarding health within the wider context of information regarding health. Health literacy plays a vital role in social empowerment (SACOSS, 2008). It has been seen that in Australia, Aboriginals are not well-informed about the ways that can promote their health and do not have awareness of health-related information. Although there has been improvement in the living conditions of these people over the past two decades, some rural and isolated communities such as Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander communities, do not have the basic water, sewerage and electricity services (SACOSS, 2008). Smoking behavior and other related lifestyle factors also play a role in the promotion of health and well-being in individuals. People who are educated and well-informed are less likely to take up illicit drugs and smoking. However smoking behavior is linked to social gradient, with individuals on the lower rungs having poorer health outcomes than their well-off counterparts (SACOSS, 2008). As one goes down the social ladder, life expectancy decreases and diseases are more commonplace (Wilkinson & Marmot, 2003). Programs Aimed at Reducing Health Inequities The Australian Health Inequities Program (AHIP) is an organization that is working for the amelioration of the health conditions of the Australians. It is working to comprehend how health inequities are arising in the country and how they come to affect the people. The research being conducted in this regard is expected to provide greater insight into what level of inequity is acceptable in the country (Flinders University, 2009). Conclusion Health inequities are defined as the poor economic conditions that affect the life and health of a person. In a general context, social determinants are defined as the social conditions that the person is exposed to which may influence his or her health status. It has been seen that those are more disadvantaged in terms of socioeconomic status have greater chances of acquiring illnesses and dying at an early age as compared to those who are well-off (Farrell, McAvoy, Wilde, & Agency, 2008). Therefore it follows that everyone does not have an equal chance to live a healthy and long life. There is an obvious void between the health status of the rich and the poor. Moreover, education is one of the important social determinants that influence the socioeconomic status of the people; lack of proper education would not only mean little access to resources but also lesser incomes. In Australia particularly, health inequities are worsening (Willis & Reynolds, 2008). The Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander communities are disadvantaged in acquiring access to education and training opportunities (Southern Public Health Unit Network, n,d.). The AHIP is committed to the cause of alleviation of health inequity from Australia. The importance of health equity can be judged from a statement given by Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General in his farewell speech; he said that it is “the global community’s responsibility for everyone’s welfare”, emphasizing upon the upholding of human security (Who Regional Office for the Eastern Medi, 2008). Hence health is the basic right of every individual and every healthcare professional should aim to grant this right to the privileged and the less-privileged both without any discrimination. No matter the person is rich or poor, a healthcare individual must aim to deliver the utmost care within his or her professional capability to level out health inequities and set good examples for tackling poverty and health inequities (Combat Poverty Agency & Institute of Public Health, 2006). Reference List Carson, D., Dunbar, T., & Chenhall, R. D. (2007). Social Determinants of Indigenous Health. Allen & Unwin. Combat Poverty Agency & Institute of Public Health (2006). Conference Papers: Tackling Poverty and Health Inequalities - a social determinants approach (20 September 2006). Combat Poverty Agency. Farrell, C., McAvoy, H., Wilde, J., & Agency, C. P. (2008). Tackling Health Inequalities: An All-Ireland Approach to Social Determinants. Combat Poverty Agency. Flinders University (2009). About AHIP. Retrieved from http://som.flinders.edu.au/FUSA/PublicHealth/AHIP/about.htm SACOSS (2008). The Social Determinants of Health. Retrieved from http://www.sacoss.org.au/online_docs/081210%20Social%20Determinants%20of%20Health%20Report.pdf Southern Public Health Unit Network. (n.d). Social Determinants of Health Education Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/Documents/saphs/20394.pdf Who Regional Office for the Eastern Medi. (2008). Social Determinants of Health in Countries in Conflict: A Perspective from the Eastern Mediterranean. World Health Organization. WHO. (2010). Social determinants of health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/thecommission/finalreport/en/index.html Wilkinson, R. G. & Marmot, M. G. (2003). Social determinants of health: the solid facts (2nd ed.). World Health Organization. Willis, E. & Reynolds, L. (2008). Understanding the Australian Health Care System. Elsevier Australia. Read More