Monitoring Mental Health Environments - Literature review Example

Running Head: Social Determinants of Health Name Course Lecturer Date Social Determinants of Health Social factors determine the health of individuals as well as populace in general, by significant degree. The social determinants of health produce extensive inequalities in health and between the communities. In regards to this, the poor and the disadvantaged in the society experience inferior quality health than the affluent and powerful. This is because; the poor have less admittance to services, thus making them to die younger in all societies. The evidence concerning social determinants of health is insufficient to bring change on its own, and therefore, nurses should be joined together with the evidence, in order to offer the most response to the negative effects of social determinants. This essay outlines the social determinants of health which include social gradient, social exclusion and social support. It also outlines various ways in which community nurses can support vulnerable families that are affected by these health determinants. As Marmot (2007) asserts, Social gradient as a health determinant describes people’s social and economic conditions, and the effect on their live, which determine the risk of getting illness and treatment they get when illness arises. A study shows that generally, the lower an individual’s social economic condition, the worse their health. Social and psychological situations cause long term stress. Stressful conditions make individuals feel worried, anxious and incapable of coping, which are damaging to health and if not taken care of early enough, might lead to premature death. Such psychosocial risks build up during life and enhance the opportunities of poor mental health as well as premature death. Long periods of anxiety, insecurity and lack of helpful friendships and family members are damaging in whatever area of life they occur. In addition, lack of control over work as well as home can results to powerful effects on individual health (Siegrist, 2000). This is because; stress response redirects energy and resources away from a lot of physiological procedures vital to long term health maintenance. Both the cardiovascular and immune system is affected. When people feel tense for a long period of time, they befall vulnerable to various conditions which include infections, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure and aggression. A research shows that the basic of adult health are arranged in early childhood and before birth. As Elliott (2012) says, slow development and poor emotional support raise the lasting risk of poor physical health and also minimize physical, cognitive as well as emotional functioning in adulthood. Poor early experience and slow growth become entrenched during the procedures of development and during pregnancy and form the foundation of the person’s biological and human capital which has health effects throughout the life time (Elliott, 2012). Community nurses in Melbourne should ensure through training that all the schools, workplaces as well as institutions provide the quality of the social surroundings and material security is always available to health as the physical environments (Lehtinen, 2008). The institutions should give individuals a sense of belonging; give them chance to contribute and value them as a way of keeping them healthier. In addition, community nurse in Melbourne should push the authority to address both psychosocial and material needs welfare programmes. This is because both are the causes of anxiety as well as insecurity. In regards to this, the authority should support families with young children, promote community activities, financial insecurity as well as encourage coping knowledge in education and other institutions. According to Baumsalg & Jelliffe (1994), during pregnancy, women should be provided with good nutrition, health education, preventive care facilities, and adequate social as well as economic resources. This is to improve growth and development before birth and throughout infancy and minimizing the risk of disease and malnutrition. Additionally, parent child relationship should be maintained to enhance parent knowledge of emotional and cognitive needs of children. This is to motivate cognitive improvement and pro-social behaviour in the child as well as preventing child abuse (Wilkinson & Marmont, 2003). Social exclusion is termed to take place when a person is left out of normal life within a society. (Saunders, Naidoo and Griffiths, 2008). It involves deprivation of opportunities to take part in social, economic, political and cultural processes. Halleröd and Larsson (2008) stipulate that social exclusion has negative impacts on the health of affected individuals in overlapping mechanisms since the involved persons are characterized of limited access to resources, rights and capabilities. Normally when one is excluded from a particular social group, stress builds up within them which may result to mental disorders as indicated by Slade (2009). In Melbourne, there is a record of mental disorders among same sex partners as compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This is as a result of discrimination when they go to seek health services from hospitals. According to Brahmam et al (2008), this group of people record higher HIV/AIDS infection and prevalence, due to fear of discrimination when they seek medical attendance. Prolonged exposure to stressful conditions leads to lowered functioning of the immune system and also increases the level of cortisol in the body. In instances of chronic stressful conditions, victims have been diagonised with cardiovascular diseases and also diabetes as recorded by (Prestage et al, 2008) in a study with bisexual women. Secluded groups of people do not receive the required share of economic backup. As a result, they are not able to obtain the necessary facilities like hospitals when sick. This leads to deteriorating of their health conditions which could even be fatal. Good health is also enhanced by proper nutrition. Lack of sufficient money translates to a poor diet which also increase chances of sickness among excluded members of an excluded social group (Stanley, and Vella-Brodrick, 2009). Socially excluded people are also exposed to uninsurance or default services of the same which makes it difficult for them to survive when accidents occur. Social exclusion on the basis of gender for example exposes women to health problems. Women are normally expected to take care of the sick within a family. During these periods, they end up contacting contagious diseases from the patients. This means that they also become part of the excluded group. Women who are excluded from educational opportunities lack a chance of economic empowerment. A community nurse is an important person in helping the socially marginalized people come out of their situations. In Melbourne, community nurses are involved in conducting voluntary health programs where they offer free medical services to the affected groups of people (Gehner, 2010). In these health programs, they also conduct seminars and conferences where they educate people on the impacts of social exclusion by creating awareness. Here, the community nurses engage in dialogue with affected members as they share out their experiences. Counseling is an important form of intervention to be offered at this level (Muir et al 2009). Social support involves good social relations, friendship and supportive networks at home, community and even at work places which leads to improved health (Frieden, 2010). Social support improves the emotional and psychological status of socially secluded people, by making them feel cared for, loved and esteemed. People who belong to a social network have reduced death rates, and they experience lowered levels of heart attacks. In Melbourne, pregnant mothers who are accorded social support from family members have recorded reduced complications during and after pregnancy (Reblin and Uchino, 2008). These mothers are also able to breastfed their babies as required resulting to healthy child rearing. Age is a factor that dictates ones’ health. According to Flake et al (2009), groups of aged people who are living in socially cohesive families have been recorded to display lowered mental and physical complications. Income levels have been reported to determine the state of social support experienced in families. Members of families with higher levels of income display trust among themselves. Such families are able to acquire basic needs without necessarily straining for them. They can afford a good diet which enhances good health. Community nurses in Melbourne can involve in health programs where they educate vulnerable pregnant mothers on the importance avoiding stressful conditions during pregnancy periods in order to enhance the health status of their children (Hudson, 2006). The nurses are also to conduct rallies on educating families that are vulnerable due to lowered financial status on fruitful ways of raising their status, for instance engaging in voluntary projects where they will occasionally earn small amount of money. Children are at a higher level of being impacted by social support. It is required that community nurses educate schools’ fraternities on importance of enhancing strong social bonds between teachers and the learners as indicated by Durlak, Weissberg and Pachan (2010). Such children will demonstrate improved health status which is vital for their development. Community nurses in Melbourne are also tasked with educating families on how to enhance social interactions with other families and communities. Having a social out day at least ones per week is a positive way of enhancing social support. Such people will experience lowered mental problems. Conclusively, social determinant produces health inequality between the societies as stated above. The disadvantaged people in the society experience the worst health services, since they are not able to access services like the wealthy people. Social determinant such as social gradient describes people’s social and economic status and the effects in their life. Social exclusion is a term that is used to describe a situation where a person is left out of normal life in the society. In addition, Social support refers to a good friendship and supportive networks either at home, community and even at places of work which leads to developed health. There are various ways in which nurses and family can support vulnerable families affected by social determinants. These ways includes, education programs, conducting voluntary health programs such as seminars and conferences. References Baumsalg, N., & Jelliffe, D. B. (1994). Mother and child health: delivering the services. 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