What Is A Social Determinant Of Health Essay

As society continues to grow and there becomes more questions and concerns on the subject of Health. The question is posed who is responsible optimal health of those in your country? Is it the responsibility of the individual themselves? Or is it the responsibility on the family level, community, or national level? In order to answer this question, we need to think about the things that contribute and affect overall health. Some of the main contributing factors to overall health of an individual is who they are which encompasses the age, sex, and genetic factors of an individual. What does this individual do? Health in this aspect can be affected by physical activity, diet, alcohol, and substance abuse. Another social determinant of Health

Who the individual is, is something they are unable to control. One is unable to control their age, sex, or genetic factors. However, with education they can be given the knowledge necessary to better take care of themselves according to their needs and genetic predispositions. For example, if an individual is a middle-aged man who has a family history of hypertension, they might understand the need for regular check-ups with their Primary Care Physician and to make sure to not eat lots of high fat and sugary food to keep their blood sugar levels low. That way they can reduce their risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. This is mainly under the responsibility of the individual to take care of their diet and have an understanding of their personal health and needs and to be able to respond and act upon those needs as

It is up to yourself and your personal decisions and discipline to have an active physical lifestyle, to eat a healthy and balanced diet. It is up to the individual whether they decide to smoke, drink alcohol, or to be a participant in substance abuse. These are all personal decisions that can be influenced by society, family, friends, and living conditions and location. This can make choosing a healthy lifestyle more difficult or easy depending on the resources available to them, the neighborhood they live in, and family values and habits. The family also has a large role to play in this health aspect especially during childhood. As an adult you are more independent and have a larger part in your personal health. As a child or teenager living in and under the supervision and responsibility of your parents you are in a way at their mercy. A child who is in a home that is surrounded by junk and fast food, alcohol abuse, and low physical activity, they are going to have a very low level of health but it isn’t something that they can really control. One way that this can be addressed is on a community or national level. While the government cannot force a certain way of life, they can encourage a healthy lifestyle through benefits, programs, supporting local businesses and farmers markets etc. so that the families in each