Socioeconomic Environment Flashcards
Describe socio-economic environment as it relates to health:
- Socioeconomic environment highlights the health problems that arise due to how wealth is distributed and how this impacts quality of life
- Provides insight into relationship between social status, education, economic status, occupation, environment and one’s health
- 6% of the worlds population holds 59% o the world’s wealth!
- SE impacts health via social supports; access to medical care; supportive employment; financial well-being; perceptions of stress; etc.
Describe how rises and falls in economy can affect people:
- As GNP increases = good economy, employment and decreased mortality
- As GNP decreases = poor economy, unemployment increases, and mortality increases 2-3 years later. Impact of recession begins to later show up in the health of Canadians.
- I.e. the better the economy, the more likely to have jobs and benefits, so more likely to have a better socioeconomic status and access to healthcare, and vise versa.
What is a healthy lifestyle determined by?
The individual within their social environment (family, peers, community, workplace, etc.), and is impacted by the relationship between individuals and their social environment.
How does employment affect health?
- Provides financial support
- Alters type of environment one finds themselves in and can afford to live in (ex. do they work in a poor-paying job in a factory with environmental hazards, returning to a dumpy home after? Or do they work in a hospital with a high salary, and can return home to their nice house after?)
How does high stress environment negative impact health?
- Physical manifestation of stress (HTN, ulcers)
- Interplay between stress and control; if individual can have more autonomy over stressful environment, can still make decisions and find reward among stress.
Not everyone in Canada has equal access to health care services. What are some reasons it may be difficult for people to access health care?
- Poor treatment by HCP’s (ex. stigma)
- Lack of transportation
- Lack of social supports
- Lack of funds
What was the medical approach?
- Approach used to treat health until 1970’s
- Disease/tx model
- Health defined as absence of disease or illness, and focus was on ‘fixing’ problems when they arose
- Works well for people with illness with a clear cause and prognosis, but is costly and short-sighted
- Does not recognize cause of certain disease, such as personal context
- Not patient-centered care, as it tx only the condition and not individual
What was the behavioral approach? (1970-1980’s)
- Focus on decreasing behavioral risk factors (that caused disease or ill health)
- Moved past tx disease and incorporated promotion of physical well-being
- Health determinants were lifestyle, environment, human biology, and organization of health care
- Beneficial for some populations, as there was a trend of increased exercise, diet and reduced smoking
- Disempowering ** Mentality of victim blaming, as it ignored context of behaviours (ex. what if finances are tough and you can only afford fast food?)
What was the socio-environmental approach (1980’s)?
- Emphasis on social and personal resources and physical capabilities affecting health
- Health determinants revolved around peace, shelter, education, food, income, stable ecosystem, social justice and equity. Occurred after realizing risk conditions were important determinants of health, not just behaviors.
- Focus on empowerment
- Understands that health related behaviours cannot be separated from social context in which they occur
Describe how socio-environmental risk conditions causes additional risks:
Psychosocial risk factors, leads to behavioural risk factors, causing physiological risk factors, and affect overall health status.
What does material and social deprivation lead to?
- Chronic disease
- Shorter life expectancy
- Suicide
- Increased income inequality and poverty (in Canada 1985-2005). Increased poverty in low income families, increased wealth in high income families, hollowing middle class.
Describe the ties between education and literacy on socioeconomic status:
- Provides knowledge and skills for problem solving
- Provides job opportunities and income security
- Increases ability to access and understand health information
- Studies have found a strong relationship between health and level of education
Describe aspects of housing location and physical environments which impact health:
- Safety of neighbourhood
- Presence of quality food
- Water quality
- Road safety
- Presence of green space
- Indoor environment (air quality)
- Design of communities and transportation systems
How does social support networks influence health?
- Assist with problem solving
- Sense of life satisfaction
- Provide positive role models
- Minimize stress impacts on life (decrease risk of early deaths)
- Strength of social networks within community, region, institution, organizations, etc.
- Can also negatively influence due peer pressure, unhealthy social norms, etc.
How does employment and working conditions influence health?
- Stressful or unsafe work conditions, unemployment and/or underemployment can all result in poorer health
- Work environment as direct impact on physical/mental and social health
- More control in work and variety of work results in less stress and health impacts
- Unpaid work (household, childcare) also impacts health when combined with paid work
- Autonomy in workplace can positively combat stress
- Individuals one step down from stated top income rate had heart disease rates up to four times higher than those at top!
