The Social Determinants of Health

Question 1

What is determinants of health?

Answer 1

a determining factor or agent; a ruling antecedent, a conditioning element; a defining word or element of health

Question 2

What is a necessary cause in epidemiology?

Answer 2

Presence is required for the occurrence of the event - can’t have the disease without exposure to the cause
Exposure doesn’t always lead to outcome

Question 3

What is a sufficient cause in epidemiology?

Answer 3

A factor whose presence leads to an effect

Exposure alone would induce the outcome but other exposures may induce the same outcome

Question 4

How does gender effect health?

Answer 4

Woman generally live longer and in good health

Higher prevalence of dementia in woman

Question 5

How does ethnicity effect health?

Answer 5

diabetes more common in south asian population

Question 6

How does educational attainment effect health?

Answer 6

the higher your educational level, the less likely you are to suffer with a limiting long term illness

Question 7

How does socioeconomic status effect health?

Answer 7

the lower your socioeconomic status, the more likely you are to suffer in your health e.g. childhood mental disorder/die early

Question 8

What health behaviours increase/decrease health risk?

Answer 8

Increases: smoking, drinking
Decreases: exercise, fruit and veg intake

Question 9

What is ‘inequalities in heath’?

Answer 9

Variation in health status, life expectancy, mortality and morbidity between different groups
Unjust distribution of health and healthcare