Global Health: Social Determinants of Health

The Social Determinants of Health

Social Determinants of Health is beyond the typical factor of health services available for the person. It is a system of factors all together that help cause a person state of health. Factors such as the individual person, (genetics, sex and age,) and their behavior, social and physical environment, education, and being able to access an appropriate health care service. (Skolnik, 2012)

One of the factors that plays into Social Determinants of Health is the “individual person” and their behavior. Genetics structure of an individual human being determines the illnesses and diseases he is vulnerable to. Having cancer in your genes places you in a high risk or being diagnosed of it yourself. (Skolnik, 2012) Sex also has a role of it’s own in this matter. Woman’ and men’s biological bodies are different, giving woman the unfortunate exposure to breast cancer and even labor issues. In many countries age places different types of risk in the people. According to Skolnik’s book Global Health 101, young children have a risk of having diarrheal disease, compared to older people who have a higher likeliness to die from heart disease. Behavior is also an important contributor. What the person eats, whether or not a person drinks alcohol and smokes, and reckless behavior play a key role in each individual’s health state. (Skolnik, 2012)

A very important factor of the Social Determinants of Health is social and physical environment. Social environment brakes down into many parts. Social statues are one part showing that higher social statues have a greater control over their lives. This gives the person an advantage to better income and higher education, which directly correlates to better health. Gender roles also have effect on the health state of a person. Woman are often treated not as good as men and are not able to provide with as much income due to the social gender roles. (Skolnik, 2012) The physical environment plays an enormous role. What the individual is exposed to determines a person’s health state. One example from Skolnik’s textbook, Global Health 101, is the homes that lacked proper ventilation. This causes the smoke coming from the cooking to be closed in polluting the living environment leading to respiratory disease and asthma.

Education is very important for the individual person. Not only does it place the person in a tight situation that restricts him or her from earning more money, but also it takes away the knowledge that keeps the individual away from unhealthy living behaviors. Knowing the risks of sexual transmitted diseases, risks of smoking and alcohol abuse, and the importance of good hygiene can save lives and prevent harmful diseases. (Skolnik, 2012)

The one factor that is the most common in Social determines of Health is appropriate health care services. Being exposed to an environment with health care services gives a person a greater chance on survival and overcoming diseases. Many countries that lack such advantages have people dying from illness that can be prevented with simple medicine or knowledge from a health professional.