Social Ecological Theories Of Individual Health

In recent years, there is a high rate of sickness and death in the society. Research in WHO, lifestyle is the related factors to individual health. Dahlgren and Whitehead gives social ecological theory where individuals are at the center with a set of fixed genes. The first layer is personal living behavior like choice to smoke, exercise or not. The next layer means the connection within the community where friendship may possibly cure diseases. The third layer includes structural factors such as stressful working conditions. Figure 1 social ecological theory (Dahlgren and Whitehead, 1991)

People nowadays drinking excessively or smoking. Unhealthy people seldom work out as they excuse themselves with lacking time. They keep weight with consuming

However, in fact, they often have the heath difficulties. However, it Joseph Rowntree Foundation report (Wheeler et al., 2005) shows that access to good quality health services is limited for them.

Next, working people nowadays are more likely to work overtime due to the advanced economic situations. They tend to maximize the earnings to achieve better lifestyle which in return are detrimental to health and lives. When they stress, they get insomnia, they get weak antibody easily. A partly report from Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows work stresses can also lead to health-damaging and illness more generally. Hemström’s research (2005) states survey analysis conducted in Sweden concluded that the work environment is essential in determining healthy lifestyle.

At the nutshell, it is arguable to suggest that Dahlgren and Whitehead provides a useful social model of health which gives guidelines to people in the area of how to achieve healthy lifestyles. Life with good health is the key to achieving longer lifespan. Stay healthy, start from now.

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