Health is impacted or determined by genetic inheritance, personal behaviors, and general environment. However, there are significant situational, social, and cultural factors that impact the health of an individual as discussed below.
High workload creates time pressures for physicians, which compels them to spend less time with a patient compromising the quality of patient care and the impact on their health. This limited-time can adversely affect the health of the patient as the quality of care won’t be adhered to (Williams, Brown, Prasad, & Linzer, 2020). Patient and physician conflict is another situation that might negatively affect the health of a patient; conflicts alter the attitudes of both the physician and the patient and the patient’s response to treatment, subsequently affecting the health and wellness of the patient.
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The socioeconomic status of the patient plays a significant role in the patient’s health. Patients with higher education tend to be healthier than those with a low level of education (Cohen, Janicki-Deverts, Chen, & Mathews, 2010). This is so because they make good decisions on their health, for instance, doing exercise, good eating habits, and acquisition of health insurance. Quality of education influences the income of an individual which in turn determines the insurance cover one takes and the quality of healthcare on can afford (Williams, Priest, & Anderson, 2016). Low-income capacity adversely impacts the quality of healthcare a patient seeks based on their capacity to afford. Access to health care is an important social factor that impacts the health of an individual; access can be determined by resources or physical presence of the health care facility (Gu, Zhang, & Zeng, 2009). The closer the facility the healthier an individual is unlike when hospitals are located far away.
Social support is a significant component in building social relationships and strong psychological health. Poor social support is heavily linked to loneliness, depression, suicide, cardiovascular diseases, and substance abuse which often influences an individual’s health negatively (Miller & Dimatteo, 2013). Social support can be comprised of family and friends. These are people one can count on in a crisis and their support comes unconditionally. There are different aspect of social support which positively contributes to health and wellness of an individual; emotional support which entails provision of a shoulder to lean and cry on, instrumental support which comprises of physical support, helping with tasks, more of providing a helping hand and informational support which entails provision of guidance and advice (Miller & Dimatteo, 2013).
Social support is an important variable for me specifically. I do have a conviction that having a strong support group is essential to navigating tough times. In this case, string social support from family and friends is significant to my health and wellness.
References
Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., Chen, E., & Mathews, K. (2010). Childhood socioeconomic status and adult health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences , 37-55.
Gu, D., Zhang, Z., & Zeng, Y. (2009). Access to healthcare services makes a difference in healthy longevity among older Chinese adults. Social Science & Medicine, 68 (2), 210-219.
Miller, T. A., & Dimatteo, M. R. (2013). Importance of family/social support and impact on adherence to diabetic therapy. Diabetes Metabolism Syndrome and Obesity , 421-426.
Williams, E., Brown, R., Prasad, K., & Linzer, M. (2020). Time Pressure During Primary Care Office Visits: a Prospective Evaluation of Data from the Healthy Work Place Study. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35 (2), 465-472.
Williams, N., Priest, N., & Anderson, A. (2016). Understanding Associations Among Race,Socioeconomic Status, and Health: Patterns and Prospects. Health Psychology, 35 (4), 407-411.
