Public Health Nursing
We have considered determinants of health. You know that many factors/determinants combine to affect the health of individuals, communities, and/or population groups. Circumstances and environmental factors affect if people are healthy or not. In fact, we think that factors such as access to health services and to using health services as having huge impact on health. But, the impacts of good health and overall wellness are really more about where we live, the state of our environment, genetics, income, educational levels, and even relationships with friends and family.
While there are many factors that affect health, the major determinants of health include:
the social and economic environment,
the physical environment, and
the person’s individual characteristics and behaviors. (World Health Organization, 2014).
It is critical to understand that it’s the CONTEXT of people’s lives that determine their health. We can’t necessarily blame people for poor health nor credit them for good health. And CONTEXT for living is not always a conscience choice, many times it’s all about opportunity. Sometimes people just can’t directly control determinants of health.
Let’s think about determinants of health, and then consider epidemiology and the epidemiological triangle.
The basic discussion for this week involves both concepts (determinants and epidemiology). So, how might poverty, housing, economic status, social justice, discrimination, or other disparities increase one’s risk for communicable and non-communicable diseases?
Sample Solution
