ipl-logo

Social Determinants Of Health Essay

731 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How does socioeconomic status affect health

What effects do social determinants, particularly socioeconomic status, have on the health of Indigenous Australians?
The social determinants of health refer to the conditions in which people are born, living, working and aging. (http://www.who.int/social_determinants/sdh_definition/en/). It is how population health and inequality is determined by interconnected social factors such as the distribution of money, power and particularly, socioeconomic position (Carson et al., 2007). The socioeconomic position of an individual is defined by their education level, career choices and average incomes (Ruralhealth, 2017).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, mainly those who live in rural and remote Australia, tend to have a lower socioeconomic …show more content…

Education is also strongly linked to the likelihood of engaging in risky health behaviours such as smoking and substance abuse (ABS 2013). On the other hand, having a higher income allows for greater access to goods and services that provide health benefits. Unfortunately, the large numbers of Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote Australia neither have a high education level or a high income. This results in them being socially excluded from the rest of Australia by not having equal access to “…primary health care and health infrastructure (i.e safe drinking water, effective sewerage systems, rubbish collection services and health housing)” (Carson et al., 2007). They are also not as well informed about general health and safety risks and therefore tend to face a higher risk of poor health due to higher rates of substance use, smoking and dietary behaviour (i.e. lower level of recommended daily food consumption).

The result of being exposed to poorer health care also shows in the birth of Indigenous children. In the National Perinatal Data Collection, AIHW shows how:
• In 2013 Indigenous babies were twice as likely to be of low birthweight as to babies born to non-Indigenous

Show More
Related
1053 Words | 5 Pages

(2016). 4704.0 - The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Oct 2010. [online] Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/lookup/4704.0Chapter470Oct+2010 [Accessed 4 May 2016]. Digital, C. (2016).

Read More
781 Words | 4 Pages

It cannot be denied that our indigenous population has suffered severely since the colonisation of Australia. While the movement towards reconciliation is undoubtedly gaining widespread support, unfortunately many misconceptions are still prevalent and the future of many indigenous Australians is still uncertain. Disadvantage is still experienced by an unacceptable number of the population. Statistically, indigenous people have poorer health, opportunities for education, life expectancy, employment options and the majority live in the remote areas of Australia. As well as this

Read More
1015 Words | 5 Pages

Researchers show that aboriginal women handle segregation differently compared to their male counterparts (Wesley, 2012). In many situations, segregation can have a largely negative impact on the individual and by which compromises their well-being and safety in particular for individuals with a history of sexual and physical abuse (Wesley, 2012). Accounting for the fact that Aboriginal women are proven to have higher levels of having suffered physical and sexual abuse it shows that they tend to be more vulnerable to the negative impacts of being segregated and these harmful impacts can lead to damaging mental health situations triggering mental illness (Wesley, 2012). The low self-esteem, anxiety, feeling hopeless and insecurity that come with being in poverty are links to violence, poor parenting, addiction and lack of social support by which contributing to poor mental health conditions such as depression (Loopie, 2009). In general, studies have stated that women are twice as more likely to experience mental health issues such as depression compared to men but, amongst Aboriginal women certain groups are more vulnerable than others, for example, young Aboriginal women are more likely to go through mental issues (Halseth, 2013).

Read More
1633 Words | 7 Pages

Socioeconomic class remains a consistent and highly influential factor on the many factors of contemporary Australian society. There are three key identifiers of class in modern Australia, economic wealth and inequality, levels of cultural capital, and state of health; these factors need to be addressed in order to demonstrate the impact of class on society today. Economic inequality is overwhelmingly apparent in Australian society, with the distribution of wealth aligning with the traditional ideas of class. Culture is used as a weapon against those deemed to possess less cultural capital within Australia, even those who hold considerable wealth, highlighting the cultural aspects of class that remain relevant within society. Health is a large

Read More
326 Words | 2 Pages

The suicide rate ratio of Indigenous Australians is 1.5 that of non-Indigenous. 96.4% of deaths were younger than fifty years of age compared to 70.4% for non-Indigenous people.1 Social determinants of health such as lack of education and unemployment affect the emotional and social wellbeing that is the foundation for Indigenous physical and mental health. 2 Indigenous Australians have worse health conditions from poorer health and more likely to die at an earlier age than non-Indigenous Australians. Discriminatory behaviour erodes Indigenous self-esteem and value within their community and contributes to bad mental health. 3 Suicide is a largely preventable public health problem.

Read More
974 Words | 4 Pages

This sudden change still has an enormous effect on today’s Indigenous population. How is it fair that the oldest population of people die a decade younger than non-Indigenous Australians? The perpetuation of racism which is manifested in our society has left many Indigenous Australians in a disadvantaged position. Including through, limited access to education with adult literacy rates of just 30 percent and literacy rates of children under 15 more than 48 percent lower than non-Indigenous Australians, consequently means lower educational achievement rates and higher unemployment rates of 17.2 percent compared to 5.5 percent for non-Indigenous Australians (Australian Bureau of Statistics , 2013 ). These facts must be recognised to ensure real equality and a fair-go for Indigenous people.

Read More
1707 Words | 7 Pages

Before we look at the different Social/Psychological Determinants of Health it is important firstly to define what a social determinant of health is. According to the World Health Organization (2017) “The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.” These conditions are as a result of a wide range of factors that are ultimately governed by the way in which money, power and specific resources are shared at different levels including those at global, national and local levels. We have all been a part of and will experience different social determinants of health throughout our lives but it is the standard at which we experience these determinants that will ultimately lead onto them affecting our health or ultimately leaving us unaffected. The Social Determinants of Health which I am going to examine include • Education • Unemployment • Stress • Living Conditions • Cultural Norms.

Read More
732 Words | 3 Pages

Social Determinants of Health Shelly Clavis Rutgers University School of Nursing Social Determinants of Health Defined Health concerns is an issue that most organizations have formed a pact to safely deal with the challenge. The main agenda focuses on the eradication of health inequalities that may exist in most countries. It is best suited that social determinants are accorded the much-needed attention since they affect a number of people. In assessing the factors that affect one’s health, genetic disposition, personal behaviors, ability to obtain healthcare and the overall environment in which an individual resides are to be considered. Social determinants of Health are issues that deals with the conditions that people have found constructed in a society and acts as a parcel in their lives, such as; growth, age and some of the more complex systems that construct a society which include economic policies and their systems that include social norms, development goals and the basic political system that they are indulged under (World Health Organization, 2008).

Read More
598 Words | 3 Pages

Canada is known for its amazing healthcare and it is considered one of the best in the world. In Canada, healthcare is ‘universal’ to its citizens under the Heath Care Act. However, not everyone has equal access to healthcare, Aboriginals being some of them. Aboriginals have trouble getting the access they need because of socio-economic status, geography, lack of infrastructure and staff, language or cultural barriers an more. Aboriginals on reserve face many barriers when it comes to access to healthcare, they include cost, language, distance, climate, education and more.

Read More
1861 Words | 8 Pages

Disadvantage and marginalisation of indigenous Australian 's began with the dispossession of land, displacement of their people, and separation of families. Indigenous Australian 's have difficulty in gaining access, to the same degree, to what white Australian 's have ready access such as housing, employment and general services. Indigenous Australian 's are one of the most disadvantaged groups in this country in social and economic areas such as employment, housing, income, and health. The burden of poor health among aborigines is of particular concern. The health disadvantage of indigenous people begins in infancy and continues throughout their life.

Read More
1633 Words | 7 Pages

A person's ability to support themselves financially is crucial in daily life since it serves as both a key social indicator and a fundamental need for survival (Markham & Biddle, 2016). This is especially common among Indigenous Australian households because, in comparison to non-Indigenous households, individuals with lower incomes spend a larger percentage of their incomes on basics of life (Markham & Biddle, 2016). The employment rates of Indigenous Australians are significantly lower than those of non-Indigenous Australians, which provides further evidence of how income disparity links to race (Borland & Coelli, 2016). Due to their poorer socioeconomic level and worse health, Indigenous Australians live in places with fewer work prospects and have lower educational attainment (Borland & Coelli, 2016). Further evaluation of this occurs in the employment market, where Indigenous Australians do poorer than non-Indigenous Australians for a variety of reasons, resulting in a wider wage disparity in society (Birch & Marshall, 2017).

Read More
1588 Words | 7 Pages

Social factors have differential impacts on mental health throughout the life. Poverty is one of the main social factors in aboriginal people creating mental illness and suicides (Reading and Wein 2009 ). A heavy percentage of these population lives in poverty as per UNO where they are deprived from all the basic needs, including food, sanitation,drinking water, roof to live, education.(Walter & Saggers 2007). Lack of all the basic needs will significantly result mental stress in the indigenous people. Aboriginal people address a greater level of mental stress than the other Australian Community(Parker and Milroy 2014).

Read More
475 Words | 2 Pages

For instance, the life expectancy increased to 68.9 years for males and 76.6 years for females. Their birth rate was double that of non-Aboriginals and the infant mortality rates considerably declined relative to the previous census. The income of Aboriginal people in Ontario is considerably less than that of non-Aboriginal Canadians, and it coincides with the Aboriginal people’s lower employment rate and higher unemployment rates. In terms of education, the Aboriginal people were less educated compared to the non-Aboriginal people, with the highest difference existing between the Aboriginals with university degrees and the non-Aboriginals with the same (Spotton,

Read More
1635 Words | 7 Pages

These factors are known as the Social Determinants of health. “The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, including the health system” (WHO). Dalgren & Whitehead (1991) image of the social determinants of health aims to show the relationship between the person, their environment and their health. The modifiable factors, people’s age, gender and race lie in the centre surrounded by non modifiable factors like profession, housing, education and public policy. There is a direct relationship between people’s environment and their health, e.g. people who live in damp housing have a higher incidence of respiratory health problems (Farell et al.

Read More
1124 Words | 5 Pages

This concludes that there is a great amount of aboriginal communities that are clearly suffering of poverty and this is a contributing factor in the

Read More

More about Social Determinants Of Health Essay

Related Topics

Open Document