Question

This question has to do with the U.S Healthcare system.

Name and explain in detail the four major determinants of health? Explain each one.

My professor wants 500 words.. Honestly anything helps.. Thank you.

Answer 1

DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Many factors are combining to affect the individuals and communities health. Whether people are healthy or unhealthy it is determined by their environment and circumstances. Such factors that affect the health are known as determinants of health.

· Biological determinants

· Behavioural, lifestyle & socio cultural conditions

· Environment

· Education

· Socio Economic Conditions

· Occupation

· Political System

· Health Services

· Aging of the Population

· Gender

1. Biological determinants

• Every human being the physical & mental traits of are determined by the Nature of his genes at the time of conception. The genetic makeup is unique and it cannot be altered after the conception.
• Many diseases are now known to be of genetic origin, E.g., Chromosomal anomalies, errors of metabolism, mental retardation.
• WHO recommended a positive health advocated by implies that a person should be able to express as completely as possible the potentialities of his genetic heritage.

2. Behavioural , Life Style & socio cultural conditions

Life style means “the way that people live”, representing the social values, attitudes & activities.

Life styles are learnt through social interaction with parents, siblings, friends, peer groups, from school & mass media.

Many present health problems such as coronary heart disease, obesity, lung cancer, drug addiction are mainly associated with issue in the life style.

3. Environment

Hippocrates first related environment to diseases.

Environment is classified as “internal” & “external”.

Internal environment of a man refers to the each & every component part, every tissue organ & organ system & their harmonious functioning within the human system.

External also called as macro environment comprised of those things to which man is exposed after the conception. External environment includes all that is external to the individual human host.

External environment includes physical, biological & psychosocial components.

Unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, poor indoor and outdoor quality, exposure to toxic or hazardous waste, climate change are the environmental factors that affects the health of the individual.

4. Education

Health status improves with education level.

People having lower level of education are more likely to be unemployed and poor, and to suffer from poorer health, than those individuals with higher education level.

Education provides people with skills and knowledge to handle the issues and helps provide a sense of control and mastery over life situations.

Education also helps individual to understand information the better in order to be healthy.

5. Health and economics

Level of health status also improves as the level hierarchy of income increases the

Middle income group, who are more likely to be healthier than those in the lower income group, However people in the high income group are more likely to be healthier than people in the middle income and lower income group.

Higher income group tend to have safe housing and access to all the adequate and good nutritious food.