1. Income and Social Status
A person's health will improve as their income and social status rise.
The article Social Factors That Influence Health: The Canadian Realities, (Michonne and Raphael, 2010. Pg. 12) talks about income like this:
Perhaps the most significant social factor that influences health is income. The quality of a person's diet, the amount of physical activity they do, their use of tobacco and alcohol, and other health-related behaviors are all influenced by their level of income. In Canada, the quality of other social determinants of health like food security, housing, and other essential health prerequisites is influenced by income. 2010) Have you observed this connection between health, income, and social status in your own life or the lives of those you care about? How did it affect you?
2. Employment and Working Conditions
Unemployed or underemployed individuals are less likely to maintain good health consistently. Additionally, individuals who work in hazardous environments face additional health risks. We are impacted physically and mentally by these circumstances.
Additionally taken from the article, "Social Determinants of Health": The Canadian Facts, a 2010 publication by Mokone and Raphael Pg. 17):
Business turns out revenue, a feeling of personality, and assists with organizing everyday life. Psychological stress, material, and social deprivation, and the use of health-threatening coping strategies are frequent consequences of unemployment. Depression, anxiety, and an increased risk of suicide are all linked to a person's lack of employment. ( 2010)
3. Higher socioeconomic
Status individuals are more likely to have access to postsecondary education opportunities and to be able to obtain degrees and certifications, thereby increasing their health determinants.
The following is stated regarding education in the article titled Social and Economic Factors that Influence Our Health and Contribute to Health Inequalities on the website of the Government of Canada:
In general, having a high level of education correlates with having a better job, a higher income, a greater level of health literacy, a broader comprehension of the consequences of unhealthy behavior, and an improved capacity to navigate the healthcare system, all of which contribute to improved health. According to the data in Chapter 3, Canadians with lower levels of education frequently have worse health outcomes, such as shorter life expectancies and higher infant mortality rates. n.d.)
4. Experiences in Childhood
A person's development during their childhood determines whether they will experience improved or decreased well-being, as well as good or bad health. Take for instance the Kaiser Permanente and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Adverse Childhood Experiences study. 17,000 people were surveyed for the study, and the results showed that people who had bad childhoods are more likely to have health problems as adults. It is essential to note that all 17,000 individuals studied had health insurance and a job; 74.8% were white, and 75.2% had attended some college or had a degree. The study didn't look at negative experiences caused by systems because it was only about origin families.)
We must comprehend and acknowledge that intergenerational trauma, discrimination, and other factors are significant social determinants of health in this context.
What aspects of our childhood have an impact on our adult lives?
5. Physical Environments
Unsafe levels of contaminants can be introduced into the body through food, water, air, and soil. Access to resources, housing, and transportation all have a significant impact on health.
Housing insecurity, homelessness, and food insecurity all have a direct impact on our health, according to numerous studies. We are aware that many homes in Canada are overcrowded and lack basic sanitation, particularly on Indigenous reserves.
The disease can spread through overcrowding and a lack of clean water or sanitation. People's coping strategies, including substance use, can also be affected by living in inadequate housing, which can increase stress. We also know that people who are homeless are more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with a wide range of physical health issues and mental health issues.
The key health disparities in Canada report: A Portrait of Canada (Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, 2018, pages 341 and 342) declares:
A wide range of health conditions, including respiratory and other infectious diseases, chronic diseases (such as asthma), injuries, inadequate nutrition, adverse childhood development, and poor mental health outcomes, have been linked to poor housing conditions, including issues like mold, overcrowding, and affordability. In Canada, the prevalence of housing below standards was higher among Indigenous peoples than among non-Indigenous people. The prevalence of housing below standards among First Nations off-reserve residents was 1.5 (95 percent CI: 1.5–1.6) times higher than non-Indigenous individuals.
- What factors, in your opinion, contribute to poor living conditions?
- What could happen that they can't control that ends up affecting how they live?
- Do you believe there are sufficient services to assist those who live in substandard housing?
6. Better health
Outcomes are linked to high levels of social support from family, friends, and communities. Coping skills It is widely acknowledged that belonging and community are significant health determinants. A person's overall health improves when they live in communities that are stable, diverse, safe, and cohesive.
People's overall health is supported by practices that support disease prevention and promote self-care, such as overcoming difficulties and developing self-reliance. Notwithstanding, perceiving that individual life "decisions" are gigantically impacted by the financial environment is significant;" certain individuals don't have choices for participating in these practices.
Do you believe you have a solid support network? In that case, how do they assist you?
If not, is there anyone in your life at the moment with whom you would like to work on strengthening your relationship? What are you going to do to forge that connection?
7. Healthy Behaviors
Our access to options is influenced by our available resources, which will vary greatly from person to person. There will be fewer resources available to those who are adversely affected by many of the social determinants of health. Everything from food choices to leisure and activity options is impacted by this.
Social Determinants and Health Behaviors: Short & Mollborn (2016): Conceptual Frameworks and Empirical Advances.
Health behaviors, also known as health-related behaviors, are actions that people take that have an impact on their health or mortality. These actions can benefit or harm the actor's or others' health, and they can be done with or without intention. Numerous actions can be considered health behaviors; Smoking, using drugs or alcohol, not getting enough sleep, engaging in risky sexual activities, seeking medical attention, and following medical instructions are examples. Well-being ways of behaving are much of the time talked about as individual-level ways of behaving, however, they can be estimated and summed up for people, gatherings, or populaces. Health behaviors change over time, across cohorts, settings, and across lifespan. 2016)
8. Access to Health Care Services
Those who have access to health care services and the financial means to pay for those services, even if they are not free, will be healthier than those who do not.
Even though Canada has universal healthcare, many services, like eye care, dental care, some medications, and access to alternative health practitioners, are not covered.
Diabetes, for instance, is a condition that necessitates expensive ongoing treatment. Pumps, test strips, and medications cost a lot. People who can't afford these medicines and supplies are more likely to let their blood sugar levels get out of control, which can be bad for their mental and physical health.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were unable to get healthcare services? How did that feel, if so?
9. Science and Hereditary Enrichment
Hereditary enrichment can incline individuals toward specific sicknesses or medical conditions.
Determinants of Health, an article on HealthyPeople.gov (n.d.) states that some populations are more affected than others by certain biological and genetic factors. Due to the physical and cognitive effects of aging, for instance, older adults are biologically more likely to be in poorer health than adolescents.
A typical illustration of a health-related genetic factor is sickle cell disease. When both parents carry the sickle cell gene, a person inherits the condition known as sickle cell. People whose ancestors came from West Africa, the Mediterranean, South or Central America, the Caribbean islands, India, and Saudi Arabia are the most likely to carry the gene.
10. Gender
Society frequently draws connections between gender and a variety of personality traits, attitudes, behaviors, values, power, How, and influence levels. The manner in which treatment is provided by the health care system is significantly influenced by these societal norms.
Sex, gender, and public health are discussed in Chapter 2 of The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2012:
Inequalities in health outcomes can be caused by socioeconomic factors not only between men and women but also between different groups of women and men. Gender transcends the binary boundaries of male and female and can influence opportunities for health and well-being. For those who don't conform to Western gender norms, life can be more complicated. For people who are Two-Spirit, transgender, or non-binary, discrimination and prejudice are major issues that hurt their overall health.
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