WEEK 1: INTRO TO SDH

Question 1

What is Health?

Answer 1

A complete state of mental, physical and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity

Question 2

what are determinants of health?

Answer 2

Factors that raise or lower a level of health in a population or individual. Determinants of health help explain or predict trends in health and why some groups have better or worse health than others. Determinants can be classified into social, environmental, behavioural, cultural, economical and biological.

Question 3

What are the sociocultural and socioeconomic determines of health?

Answer 3

• Socioeconomic status: more wealth, more likely to be healthy
• Work: can have positive and negative effects eg if you like your job or the type of people you work with
• Unemployment: Has higher rates in CVD, suicide and lung cancer
• Stress: Can be positive but when it is too great or ‘unmanageable’ health weakens
• Food Insecurity: When healthy, culturally appropriate and affordable foods aren’t attainable, fast food alternatives can lead to health issues such as CVD and diabetes

Question 4

What are examples of environment factors determinant of health

Answer 4

• Social exclusion and social isolation:
  • Exclusion: segregation that people experience if they aren’t adequately participating in the society in which they live
  • Isolation: Not being in regular contact with others
  this can lead to mental health issues

Housing:
• Overcrowding unhygienic infections, parasitic diseases
• Sleeping not getting enough mental and physical health
• Safety layout of house (poor) accidents and injury

Question 5

What are examples of resources and systems determinant of health

Answer 5

Transport: Transport promotes exercise and can aid employment rates

Access to healthcare: better access to healthcare can diagnose and treat illness

Question 6

What are examples of biological and genetic determinant of health

Answer 6

• The biological and genetic make-up of a person (ie someone who is born in a family of marathon runners is going to have a greater aerobic capacity for exercise)

Question 7

What are examples of behaviour factors determinant of health

Answer 7

Risky lifestyles
abuse of alcohol
cigarette smoking

Question 8

What is the ottawa charter for health promotion?

Answer 8

• An approach to health development by the World Health Organization which attempts to reduce inequalities in health by focusing on social determinants, health equity and justice. It defines health promotion as ‘the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health, therefore focusing on prevention of diseases rather than cures’. The Ottawa Charter identifies three basic strategies for health promotion which are enabling, mediating, and advocacy.