Upstream factors are the processes that involve policy affecting a large population through increased access, incentives that are economic in nature, and trough regulation. There are several upstream actors approach that could improve the health care in the society. It is important to note that the upstream factors occur at a macro-level and includes global environments as opposes to downstream factor that occur at the micro-level and involves someone’s’ genetics.
Focusing on the upstream factors, therefore, would help in figuring out what for instance, what are the causes of illness that is affecting a large proportion of the population. Is it mosquitos? or extreme cold? After getting to know the root causes of the population health problems, it becomes possible for the health department to come up with a better combination of solving and addressing the situation. This means that investing time and resources for the better part of the future is convenient for many health-related issues rather than dealing with instantaneous perpetuating failures.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The entire upstream factors encompass methods at a community, systems, and individual levels. First, the social and the economic environment is one of the major down stream factors in the health sector. The income and the status of an individual is a tool that is associated with the heath and well being of the people in the society. People who have much income and social status are attributed to better health care and vice versa. Research by (Grell, 2017) has shown that when the gap between the poor and the rich is increased, the greater the health care difference will be. In addition to the wealth and status, the education level is an upstream factor that affects the health status of a community at the macro level since lower education levels are associated with poor people. This cycles back to the fact that poverty is attributed to certain health complication such as those that result from poor sanitation.
Social support networks is also an upstream factor that can affect the health status of a given society. When there is a greater and well-structured support right from the family level, the health status will be improved. This is because family support is associated with the eradication of stress (Lovallo, 2015). Still under social practices, the cultural beliefs and traditions could be considered at factors attributing to health care. For instance, if the cultural beliefs and traditions are observed, some of health complications shall be reduced.
The physical environment is a factor that fall under the upstream factors since natural resources such as water and air have been attributed to health status of a community. Access to clean water and fresh unpolluted air may improve the health of a community. Healthy work places and safe housing could be associated with the health issue in either a positive or negative way. In the past decade, research by (Patel, 2018) has proved that people who have stable jobs and especially who have control over the job are healthier than those who does not. Communities with good infrastructure are attributed to good health standards.
In conclusion, the health care and the status could be greatly affected by the broad upstream factors when these factors are monitored, it becomes easier for the community to understand the root causes of certain health complications. When these factors are detected early, the better it would be for a healthy society.
References
Grell, Peter. (2017). Health Care and Poor Relief in 18 th And 19 th Century Southern Europe :
London: Routledge Publishers
Lovallo, Willian. (2015). Stress and Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions . New
York: Sage Publishers
Patel, Pankaj. (2018). “County Level Job Automation Risk and Health: Evidence from the
Unites States”. A Journal of Social Science and Medicine. Issue 202.
