CH Lecture #3-Social Determinants of Health

-Actual causes of death in U.S. in 2000 are TOBACCO, POOR DIET AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, microbial agents, toxic agents, motor vehicle accidents, firearms, sexual behavior and illicit drug use.
-Other half are genetic factors, and lack of health care

-Conditions in which you are born in, grouped in, live in
-Health care, health behavior (access of knowledge of health behavior) physical environment, socioeconomic status
-Shaped by the distribution of money, power & resources at global, national & local levels
-Primarily responsible for health inequities

-Acknowledgement that health differences exist
-Accessibility
-Not necessarily a bad thing
-A statistically significant difference in a health indicator between groups that persists over time.

-SJ or lack thereof
-An inequity is a disparity
-Product of a system
-Injustice is implied

-Poverty is an inequality
-Example=More infant mortality in poor countries
-The virtually universal phenomenon of variation in health indicators in association with socioeconomic status and ethnicity

-Need-based
-We can strive for equity
-Distribution of disease, disability and death in such a way as to not create a disproportionate burden on one population; absence of persistent health differences over time, between racial and ethnic groups. Fairness and impartiality in any health-related determinant or outcome.

Can exist at multiple levels:
-Individual
-Family
-Community
-Society

-Can be direct or indirect
-Often are avoidable, or at least amenable to human intervention

-Socioeconomic status
-Physical environment
-Health Care
-Health Behaviors

inequity is low and community assets are high

Primary causes of health problems that underlie the more obvious causes. Example=social problems that result in health inequalities through complex pathways. Example=racism is a root cause because it results in income inequality, lack of power residential and occupational segregation and stress. These cause inadequate health care, working in dangerous environments, living in cramped conditions, smoking and inability to afford nutritious food. Relate to health problems like injury, infectious and chronic disease, and mental illness. Addressing root causes will not eliminate disease and death but it will reduce health disparities.