SPH 200 Unit 4 Health Determinants Quiz

SPH 200 Unit 4 Modules 1-5

• Determinants of Health: Modules 1 through 5 explore various factors impacting health.
• Social Determinants of Health (Social): Income, employment, education, childhood experiences, physical environments, social support/coping skills, healthy behaviours, access to health services, biology, gender, culture, and race/racism are crucial determinants of health.
• General Socio-economic, cultural, and environmental conditions: Living and working conditions, unemployment, social and community networks, water and sanitation, healthcare services, agriculture and food production, age, sex, and hereditary factors, and housing significantly affect health outcomes.
• Pathways to Health and Illness: Social structure, social environment (early life, genes, culture), health behaviours, psychological factors, physiological changes (brain, neuro-endocrine and immune response), organ impairment, well-being, morbidity, and mortality comprise pathways to health and illness.
• Occupational Class and Life Expectancy (England/Wales 1997-1999): Numerous life transitions (early childhood, education, starting work, family, changing jobs, skill phase-outs, retirement) can influence health, positively or negatively, affecting life expectancy depending on occupational class. This study highlights the impact of socioeconomic status on health trajectories.
• Life Expectancy Based on Neighbourhood (Canada): Significant variations in life expectancy exist based on neighbourhoods in Canada. Poorer neighbourhoods consistently show lower life expectancies compared to wealthier ones.
• Health Care Spending (OECD): Canada is a high health care spender in the world, (detailed data is available for 2018).
• Income and Social Status, Module 2: The distribution of income across populations and its relationship with life expectancy globally (including Canada) is investigated. A strong correlation between the two exists.
• Income Importance as a DOH: Income deeply influences overall living conditions, quality of diet, extent of physical activity, and tobacco use. Fewer services and benefits associated with lower income further magnifies this impact.
• Wealth Inequality in Canada (20XX): Income inequality in Canada is increasing, posing challenges for health. Examples include difficulty in securing minimum wage, expanding health benefits, access to dental and eye care.
• Employment and Working Conditions: Employment is strongly linked to income and social status. Stress from work, limited opportunities to use skills, low decision-making capacity, and job uncertainty are key factors influencing health. Self-reported job control factors and their relationship to heart disease risks in men and women are investigated. Canadian employment, physical work conditions, stress, work hours, expression/development, and work/reward imbalances are assessed.
• Education and Literacy: Canada has high levels of education, performing in the top 10 internationally in areas like math, science, and reading. Higher education correlates with higher income. Job security and upward mobility are also connected to education, while literacy enhances self-directed health promotion.
• Childhood Experiences: Early childhood and prenatal factors play substantial roles in shaping adult health: supporting mothers and young children, environmental exposures, emotional support, intellectual stimulation, and pregnancy experiences (nutrition, smoking, drug/alcohol misuse, exercise). Barker (1998) provides valuable context. Link between birth weight and later health is key.
• Healthy Behaviours: Eating habits, exercise, tobacco/alcohol use, and violence significantly impact health. These behaviours are influenced by other DOH, such as income, social inclusion, employment.
• Access to Health Services: A universal health care system (like Canada's) spreads costs and protects health, particularly for those with lower incomes. The Canada Health Act (1984) establishes requirements impacting health care systems. Variation in included services exists, as do inequities in access. (eg. specialist access, weekends/evenings, and wait times).
• Physical Environments: Physical environments significantly affect health, encompassing a range of factors, encompassing social ecology models, and the factors of air, sanitation, shelter, food, water, space, and energy, impacting the health of individuals and communities.
• Genetic Endowment: Complex diseases are thought to stem from interactions between genetic makeup and environmental exposure to agents like micro-organisms, chemicals, metals, ionizing radiation. This highlights the dynamic interplay between inherited traits and external factors.
• Culture, Gender, Race & Racism: Culture, gender, race/racism, and social support influence health outcomes. Toronto's COVID-19 division provides a concrete example and shows different neighborhoods experience different burdens of disease.
• Health Inequalities in Canada: Significant health inequalities in Canada are observed for various groups; including those in socio-economic disadvantage, Indigenous peoples, sexual and racial minorities, immigrants, and people with functional limitations. This includes factors like income, education, employment, and housing, with strong relationships occurring. Research highlights a strong correlation between socio-economic status and other indicators of health outcomes. Specific examples include infant mortality, diabetes prevalence, and disparities in COVID-19 outcomes across Toronto neighbourhoods.