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Determinants of health: What does it mean?
Determinants of health in my understanding are factors that influence an individual’s health and well-being. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the determinants of health include a wide range of social, economic and environmental factors that regulate a population’s health (PHAC, 2018). The determinants of health vary between each country and their respective provinces due to numerous factors such as population demographics, availability of resources, lack of education and awareness.
There have been 14 social determinants of health based on the healthcare model developed at the York University Conference held in Toronto in 2002. These social determinants include aboriginal status, gender, disability, housing, early life, income and income distribution, education, race, employment and working conditions, social exclusion, food insecurity, social safety net, health services, unemployment and job security. These social determinants of health go a long way in influencing the health of a population besides other factors such as genetic make-up of an individual, diet, life style choices, physical activity, consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
One of the additional determinants of health prevalent in the contemporary society includes mental health. Today, stress is a common factor to trigger poor mental health as stated by the Marmot and Wilkinson’s book on, “The solid facts: Social determinants of health.” These authors explain in detail about mental health is a key determinant of an individual's health. They explain how stressful situations can impact an individual’s mental health and increase anxiousness which can lead to early death in severe cases.
While determinants of health are factors that influence an individual's health, an uneven distribution in healthcare services often leads to health inequities. Health inequities are differences arising in the delivery of health occurring more commonly amongst certain population types. As per a study conducted in Ontario by Kirst et al., the socio-economic position is one of the most important determinants of health inequities within the Canadian society.
Though there are several healthcare policies that have been laid out to improve social determinants of health and the associated health inequities, the government of Canada is still working hard on minimizing the existing inequalities in health. Constant efforts are being taken to address the relevant social determinants of health so that it can enhance the overall health of our population to create a more equitable healthcare system (PHAC, 2018).
REFERENCES
Kirst, M., Shankardass, K., Singhal, S., Lofters, A., Muntaner, C., & Quiñonez, C. (2017). Addressing health inequities in Ontario, Canada: What solutions do the public support? BMC Public Health,17(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3932-x
Marmot, M. G., & Wilkinson, R. (2003). The solid facts: Social determinants of health. Copenhagen: Centre for Urban Health, World Health Organization.
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2018, September 25). Social determinants of health and health inequalities. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html
Raphael, D. (2009). Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.
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