Scribd
Upload
71 views2 pages

Determinants of Health

Determinants of health are factors that influence individual and community health, including genetics, behaviors, social and physical environment, healthcare access, and policies. There is no consensus on how to define health, as definitions differ in whether they focus on disease absence or well-being, consider individual or collective perspectives, and take objective or subjective views. The WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just disease absence. Social and economic factors like income, education, occupation, nutrition, and living conditions strongly impact individual health outcomes. Those with lower socioeconomic status often face greater health risks.

Uploaded by

Luo Miyanda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
71 views2 pages

Determinants of Health

Determinants of health are factors that influence individual and community health, including genetics, behaviors, social and physical environment, healthcare access, and policies. There is no consensus on how to define health, as definitions differ in whether they focus on disease absence or well-being, consider individual or collective perspectives, and take objective or subjective views. The WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just disease absence. Social and economic factors like income, education, occupation, nutrition, and living conditions strongly impact individual health outcomes. Those with lower socioeconomic status often face greater health risks.

Uploaded by

Luo Miyanda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Determinants of health are defined as factors that significantly influence the health of individuals

and communities, such as genetic or biological factors, social and physical factors, health
services, individual behaviors, and policies
DEFINITIONS OF HEALTH
A number of tensions emerge in defining health. These include the relative emphasis on:
 disease or well-being
 holistic or atomistic interpretations
 the individual or the collective
 lay or professional perspectives
 subjective or objective interpretations.
One of the most persistent distinctions between definitions of health has been whether the focus
is on wellness or on the absence of disease. This is encapsulated in the classical myth of Hygeia
and Asclepius (see box), but continues to have relevance to contemporary debates about the
nature of health and the purpose of health promotion. As Dixey et al. (2013a: 14) argue, it is very
difficult, if not impossible, to reach a consensual definition of what health. Probably the best-
known definition of health comes from the Constitution of the World Health Organization (1946,
2006a): ‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.’ While this definition has been criticized because of its utopian
nature, and as impossible to achieve (Blaxter, 2010), it extended the boundaries of health beyond
the absence of disease to include positive well-being and firmly acknowledged the
multidimensional, holistic nature of health. Other institutions view Health as much more than
just a state of physical health. It also encompasses emotional stability, clear thinking, the ability
to love, create, embrace change, exercise intuition and experience a continuing sense of
spirituality.
Social economic status of an individual determines food quality, whether nutritious or not,
hygienic sanitation and proper housing facility, proper health care facilities to combat various
diseases. People in lower income or class status are often relegated to living and working
environments that have a higher risk for pollution, stress, injury and other risk factors for disease
outcomes.
1. Occupation and Health: Occupation is tied to physical and psychosocial hazards and
stressors in the work place. Occupational status, a component of socioeconomic status, is
determined by a person’s education, income and level of power (social position, working
conditions, decision-making and psychological demands). Occupational status can
determine access to resources that can affect exposure to hazards and risk for death and
disability
2. Education and Health: More education generally leads to better income, fewer workplace
exposures and more access to health care. Individuals with higher educational attainment
are more likely to live longer and healthier lives, as are their children. E.g., Less
education is associated with higher risk of and death from chronic diseases.
3. Nutrition and Poverty: Poverty increases the risk of poor nutrition, which can have far-
reaching and lifelong impacts on health. Just one example is seen in the relationship
between poverty, nutrition and chronic kidney disease.

You might also like