Module 9: Social Determinants of Health

attempts to uncover the root cause of all issues/health disparities in a society

fish allegory example

strong access to healthy food and clean water

low rates of injury

low air pollution

low toxins

strong healthcare infrastructure

community centers and services which are both available and effective

lack of strong leadership

pollution

contaminated water

lack of access to healthy food, food desserts

social factors: smoking, drugs

lack of access to healthcare

housing

high crime rates

poor education

outbreaks in infectious disease

concentric circles which determine health

ranges from innate traits to broad social, economic, cultural, health, and environmental conditions and

each circle influences the circles that fall under it

1. innate individual traits - age, sex, race, and biological factors

2. individual behavior

3. social, family, and community networks

4. living and working conditions - psychosocial factors, employment status, socioeconomic status, the natural and built environments, public health and health care services

5. broad social, economic, cultural, health, and environmental conditions and policies at the global, national, state, and local levels

you may have an increased risk of addiction which is innate, but your decision to actually engage in such decisions is an individual behavior

the complex, integrated, and overlapping social structures and economic systems that are responsible for most health inequities (and equities)

shaped by macroeconomic factors rather than individual behavior

social environment, physical environment, health services, and structural/societal factors all carry influence

shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources throughout local communities, nations, the world

can be discussed within national or global context (covid vaccine example)

social determinants of health represent 75% of population health including the social environment, physical environment, and health services/medical care

full health potential achieved for everyone

achieving maximum health and meeting everyone where they are - not giving everyone the same thing, but rather giving different groups what they need in order to achieve optimal health

type of health difference linked with disadvantage

used interchangeably with health disparity

not all health differences are necessarily inequities or disparities - biological health differences are not inequities

differences based on race, location, socioeconomic factors are classified as inequities and disparities

equality is giving everyone the same thing, whereas equity is when you give everyone what they need to be at the same optimal level

true

differences in health linked to social disadvantage

systemic obstacles

historical linkage to exclusion

differences that are preventable, unfair, unjust

not all health differences are disparities

no! closing the gap is a good thing when it benefits the ENTIRE population - when the gap closes because one demographic is making progress and the other is suffering is not what we should aim for

the branch of epidemiology concerned with ways that social structure, institutions, and relationships influence health

concerns with both levels and distribution (who is experiencing it the most and who is struggling the most)

demonstrates that health happens on a gradient - the extent to which each social determinant impacts your health is on a gradient as well

living in poverty at one level will impact your health - the more impoverished you are, the more it will impact your health

people usually do not fall into a singular category

by constantly asking WHY