Introduction to Social Determinants of Health
Healthy People 2020 defines social determinants of health as the conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
Healthy People 2020 has developed the social determinants of health model to integrate social and physical factors that have a significant influence on population health outcomes.
Examples of social determinants include:
• Access to educational, economic, and job opportunities
• Access to health care services
• Public safety
• Social support
• Social norms and attitudes (e.g., discrimination, racism, and distrust of government)
• Exposure to crime, violence, and social disorder
• Residential segregation
• Language/Literacy
• Access to mass media and emerging technologies
• Culture
Examples of physical determinants include:
• Natural environment, such as green space (e.g., trees and grass)
• Built environment, such as buildings, sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads
• Housing and community design
• Exposure to toxic substances and other physical hazards
• Physical barriers
• Aesthetic elements
Policies aimed at improving the social and economic conditions of populations implement the social determinants of health to influence opportunities for individuals to change behavior.
For this Discussion, select a peer-reviewed article that describes a social determinant of health. Consider the implications of the social determinant of health explored in the article for public health practice.
This Discussion will be available from Part 1 through Part 7 of this week. You are required to submit your initial post by Part 3. You are encouraged to post early. Once you have submitted your initial post, start engaging in a discussion with your colleagues. You must respond to at least one of your colleagues by no later than Part 5and should continue to interact frequently with your colleagues through Part 7. Part of what makes a Discussion a discussion and not a lecture is the back and forth, in-depth, animated interaction of at least two people. If you start a topic and none of your colleagues are responding, consider what you can do to get the conversation going. Include something that would elicit further thoughts and different opinions from colleagues. Validate your opinions with references and links to the sources you used so that your colleagues can read them for themselves. See your Discussion rubric in the Course Information tab for specific grading requirements.
Post by Part 3 a description of the article you selected, including the social determinant(s) of health explored. Explain how the social determinants of health contributed to health disparities or unhealthy risk behaviors. Be specific and provide examples.
Remember to begin interaction with your colleagues in the Discussion no later than Part 5 and continue engaging through Part 7. Continue the Discussion by Part 5 and explain how the social determinants of health described apply to the organizational level of the Socio-Ecological Model.
Support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.