Determinants of Health
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Introduction[edit | edit source]
"Health care is an important determinant of health. Lifestyles are important determinants of health. But... it is factors in the social environment that determine access to health services and influence lifestyle choices in the first place." Director-General Dr Margaret Chan
The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels. The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities - the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries. Health inequities are unjust and avoidable. In order to reduce health inequities, there is a need to address the wider socioeconomic and structural factors that influence how people become sick, what risk factors they are exposed to, how they access services, and how they use those services.
The determinants of health[edit | edit source]
Based on social and environmental conditions in which people live. According the to WHO the 9 social determinants of health are:
- Stress
- Early life
- Social exclusion
- Work
- Employment
- Social support
- Addiction
- Food
- Transport
