Personal, economic, social and environmental factors are determinants of health. It is the interrelationship among these critical determinants that ascertain individual and population health. Moreover, determinants of health have the capability to go beyond the traditional boundaries set in the healthcare and public health sectors. The social determinants of health reflect physical conditions and social factors of an individual environment where the people live, learn, work play and age (Berkman, Kawachi, & Glymour, 2014). Examples of social determinants are; quality schools, social support, and interactions, social norms and attitudes, public safety and exposure to mass media and emerging technologies.
Social factors that play a critical role in improving health
Availability of resources ensures the basic needs are met such as job opportunities, living wages, educational opportunities and healthy food. People and communities that have accessible resources can guarantee they have a better standard of living. With a better level of life, the individuals’ health safeguarded as they can better take care of themselves. Social support and social interactions are critical in improving the health of an especially people facing terminal illnesses (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000). Social support helps patients and families to deal with a health condition especially with the attraction of the positive energy that radiated to the patient. Access to quality schools and education produces a generation that can not only make better life choices but also a generation that has a higher survival rate when it comes to making health decisions. Finally, exposure to media and emerging technologies have allowed people to make informed and better health choices. Furthermore, digitization has enabled people to access medical platforms more quickly (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000).
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Social factors that are the greatest threat to health
Poverty is a critical social factor that negatively affects the health of individuals. Poverty limits people to access even to the most basic needs. Often poverty pushes people to places that are often unhealthy levels. These harmful zones have a high probability of affecting the health of individuals negatively. Social inequality is notably a significant factor in threatening human health in the long term. Research has been conducted and proved the degree of the gap that is in existence between the society wealthiest and the poorest directly relates to the health outcomes of the individuals (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000). Often the poor are noted to feel depressed over their circumstances, and this largely contributes to stress hence affecting the people’s health. Occupational factors like downsizing at work, unemployment and job strain identified as critical factors that are related to health. Moreover, workplace investigation has proved there are often mental and health effects of the work stress (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000).
How sociology help health practitioners better understand their patients and provide improved forms of health care
Understanding how the society works and the direct impact it has on health, nurses become a dominant force to champion for social change. When healthcare workers understand patients’ culture and ethnic background, the nurses can recognize common traits that exist among people (Brownson, Baker, Deshpande, & Gillespie, 2017). Furthermore, by an appreciation of every patient’s culture and ethnicity, they are taught not to stereotype patients. Research has proved nurses often complain that patients from a poor background often are hard to interpret and comply with the set medical rules and procedures in comparison to the middle class and wealthy patients (Brownson, Baker, Deshpande, & Gillespie, 2017). Upon studying sociologies, health workers are in a better position to understand inequality plays a significant role in patients’ health. Nursing involves social interactions with patients, and thus, it is paramount that nurses are in a position to understand the nature of the patients’ interactions to advise the patients on accurate information based on their medical treatment. In summary, sociology is a critical element in the health profession. There are positive social factors that positively influence human health like access to resources while there are social elements that negatively affect people's health like poverty. However, it is important that the health practitioners fully embrace sociology to better take care of the patients.
References
Berkman, L. F., Kawachi, I., & Glymour, M. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social epidemiology . Oxford University Press. Oxford
Brownson, R. C., Baker, E. A., Deshpande, A. D., & Gillespie, K. N. (2017). Evidence-based public health . Oxford University Press. Oxford
Cohen, S., Underwood, L. G., & Gottlieb, B. H. (Eds.). (2000). Social support measurement and intervention: A guide for health and social scientists . Oxford University Press. Oxford
