THE 9 MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH - MEDICINE - 2025

The social determinants of health are conditions of the environment in which people are born, live, learn, work and carry out the activities of their daily lives that directly affect their health. These conditions are the cause of many inequalities in the field of well-being.

The difference in circumstances that exist between different people occurs as a consequence of the unequal distribution of money, resources and power. These inequalities can be studied at the global level, by country or at the local level.

Most of the inequalities caused by social determinants in the field of health are unfair and avoidable, which is why the World Health Organization has shown its concern about the fight against them. In this sense, in 2005 the Commission on Social Determinants of Health was created.

The main objective of this organization is to investigate these social determinants. Today, after collecting data, its main functions are three: to improve everyday living conditions, measure and analyze the problem, and fight against the unequal distribution of power, resources and money.

The main social determinants of health

There are a very large number of social determinants that influence the well-being of the population. Below you will find a list of the most important ones.

Economic status of the region

One of the most important social determinants of health is the amount of money and well-being with which a country is able to provide its inhabitants.

In a State in which there is no adequate infrastructure, a public health system or access to medicines, citizens will have a very difficult time staying healthy.

In this sense, the first cause of inequality in health is the place in the world where you are born. The inhabitants of developed countries, just by living in these, will tend to enjoy a higher state of health than those who live in a developing region.

Access to public health

Related to the previous point is the access of the inhabitants of a region to free or low-cost healthcare. In some developed countries, like the United States, the price of health care is so high that many of its citizens cannot afford it.

Obviously, this affects the health conditions of these people, who cannot access basic resources such as hospital treatments or high-cost drugs.

Social norms and attitudes

In some places, traditional ways of thinking rooted in the social structure prevent people from enjoying the best physical and mental health they can be.

For example, problems such as racism or discrimination generate a lot of unnecessary psychological suffering for citizens.

Income level

In general, it is clear that the purchasing power of a person will directly influence the quality of their health. The more money and resources someone has, the better treatments they can afford, as well as being able to see the best specialists when they have a problem.

On the other hand, people with a lower income level will often have to settle for lower quality medical treatments. This is especially true in countries that do not have a public health system.

Stress

Population stress levels vary enormously from one country to another. Many factors are involved in its differences: differences in employment levels in the region, job security, population density within an urban nucleus, among other factors.

Stress can cause all kinds of health problems, both physical and psychological. However, because it is not usually seen as a risk factor, many people simply ignore it until it is too late.

Social support network

Countries in which citizens have an official support network in the event of a serious problem promote better levels of health among their population.

For example, this refers to a system of unemployment benefits, financial aid for young people or pensions for those who are already retired.

In countries where these systems do not exist or are deficient, the population tends to have higher levels of stress and mental and physical problems of all kinds.

Food quality

Countries where good quality food is hard to find are home to populations that tend to be sicker. In the same sense, if a region does not have enough food for all the inhabitants of the same, famines and other equally terrible situations can be triggered.

On the contrary, in highly developed countries there is a paradox on this issue. Due to the overabundance of food, the majority of the population tends to develop problems of being overweight, with all the health difficulties that this entails.

living place

Some regions of the world, due to their high population density and the high prices that the land reaches, present a serious housing problem for their inhabitants.

In these areas, the population has difficult access to quality accommodation, which leads to many psychological and, at times, physical problems.

For example, not being able to access a decent home can cause mental disorders such as anxiety, stress or feelings of inferiority; And in the most inhospitable climates, not having a roof to shelter under can be the cause of death.

Education level

Finally, an accessible and quality educational system is key to enjoying all possible well-being for the vast majority of the population.

Lack of education is linked in almost all cases to greater job insecurity, lower wages and lower satisfaction with life.

For this reason, one of the priorities of the countries must be to guarantee their citizens a quality public education that allows them to develop their potential as individuals to the maximum.

References

1. "Social determinants of health" in: World Health Organization. Retrieved on: May 26, 2018 from World Health Organization: who.int.
2. "Social determinants of health" in: Healthy People. Retrieved on: May 26, 2018 from Healthy People: healthypeople.gov.
3. "Social determinants of health" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: May 26, 2018 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.
4. "The social determinants of health" in: Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Retrieved on: May 26, 2018 from the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality: msssi.gob.es.
5. "Social determinants of health" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: May 26, 2018 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org.