Social Epidemiology Flashcards
What is the focus of social epi?
How social conditions affect various health outcomes
What is social epi’s focus within analytic epi?
What social Xs (exposures) impact health
Endorphins are released to encourage us to do what?
More things that promote our survival
How do drugs/alcohol create addiction?
By forcing the brain to release endorphins (unnaturually)
When the brain becomes so dependent on drugs/alcohol to release endorphins that it can no longer release them naturally this is called?
Addiction-it is a brain disorder
Addiction is latin for what?
To enslave
How has western culture promoted addiction?
It has stopped people from seeking a society that is naturally rewarding, convincing the public that they must turn to alcohol/drugs to feel rewarded
Why do western systems promote addiction and substance use?
- Addictions stop people from challenging the society they live in
- Addiction is profitable
What are the 3 plausability pathways?
- Material Deprivation
- Biologic
- Epigenetic
Give an example of a material deprivation pathway
- Low income family
- Restricted access to healthy food (cannot afford)
- Poor health incomes (i.e. increased obesity prevalence)
What happens when your brain identify’s a stressor?
The Sympathetic nervous system releases adrenaline
Following a release of adrenaline, what counteracts the sympathetic nervous system?
The para-sympathetic nervous system (lowers adrenaline)
How does chronic stress impact the nervous system?
It increases activity of the Sympathetic NS permanently and inhibits the parasympathetic NS from calming you down
What are some health outcomes of an overactive sympathetic NS?
- high blood pressure
- high heart rate
- anxiety
What are your bodies 2 responses to stress?
NS releases adrenaline within seconds while the pituitary gland releases cortisol within minutes
What hormone keeps your blood sugars high so you can fight or flight to escape danger?
Cortisol
How does cortisol prepare your body for immediate injury?
by suppressing the immune system to prevent death due to shock
What does cortisol stop your body from doing?
Functions necessary to immediate survival (i.e digesting food, making new muscle, etc.)
What is an example of human-made cortisol?
Prednisone
What is the biologic pathway linking racism to pre-term birth?
- High levels of racism
- Biologic impacts (high adrenaline/cortisol)
- High pre-term birth
What is allostatic load?
cumulative measure of the physiologic consequences of high, unrelenting stress on the body
What is better than individual biomarkers in predicting physical decline & death?
Allostatic Load
What happens to children stuck in abusive homes with no way to fight, flee, or help themselves?
They acquire an overactive stress response and disassociate from their body. Their body becomes the enemy and they feel the need to abuse/escape it.
What happens when children carry ACEs into adulthood?
Increased allostatic load and greater negative health outcomes
Why is it important to correctly identify the strongest X causing a health outcome (Y) before taking action?
Because if we incorrectly assume the X causing Y, we will waste money and time on an intervention that ends up having no impact
List some individual level SDOH
- Income
- ACEs
- Education
- Social Connections
- Housing
- Discrimination
List some group level SDOH
- Health care system quality
- housing availability
- GDP
- Income inequality
- Unemployment level
Why is it said that all epi is social epi?
Because all aspects of human life exist within social relations
What is needed for public health to maximize the health of the population?
scientifically-based evidence on Xs causing Y, and action towards most important X
