Essay: The health of population

The health of population is related to features of society, its social and economic organisation. Many factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. To great extent, these factors determine the state of the health and have considerable impacts on health of the society(WHO 2016).This essay will discuss the definition of health and the health determinants which include social division, economic disparity, environment and individual psychological factors, explaining their great impact on the health of individual in the society.
Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 1948).According to Hwadmin et al., (2011) the first step towards using the concept of “health, as the ability to adapt and to self manage” is to identify and characterise it for the three domains of health which are physical, mental, and social. In the physical domain, a healthy person is capable of maintaining physiological homoeostasis through changing circumstances by mounting a protective response, to reduce the potential for harm, and restore equilibrium when confronted with physiological stress. In the mental domain, it is the ability to successfully cope, recover from strong psychological stress, and prevent post-traumatic stress disorders. While for social domain, it is the ability to adapt to limitation so as to fulfil potential, obligations and manage life with some degree of independence and participate in social activities including work.
The range of social, economic, environmental and individual psychological factors that influence health status of people are known as determinants of health. It is the interrelationships among these factors that determine individual and population health. Determinants of health reach beyond the boundaries of traditional health care and public health sectors.
As for social factors, society is divided and structured according to social class, race, gender, disability and age. These are the conditions, in which people are born, grow, work, live and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life .These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems(WHO, 2016. Whether measured by income, education, place of residence or occupation, people at the top of the social gradient have the most power and resources, and on average live longer and healthier lives. People at the bottom have the least power and usually run at least twice the risk of serious illness and premature death as those near the top. (DHHS,2016) Poor social circumstances affect health throughout life. The social gradient in health runs right across society. Stressful circumstances, making people feel worried, anxious and unable to cope, which can damage their health and lead to premature death. For social division, British statistics have shown the health follows a social gradient: the higher the social position, the better the health (Marmot.M,2011). For example adult obesity rates are on the rise in the UK and locally, and it is estimated that 20-30 per cent of the adult population in Tower Hamlets is clinically obese. This is due to a poverty, lack of physical activity and the widespread availability of cheap, unhealthy food in the local areas that are densely populated with people in lower class (THC, nd).
Similarly, economic factors such as income and education have a direct bearing on health and strongly interact to influence people standard of living. People with very low incomes, for example, often lack resources and access to nutritious food, adequate housing, and working conditions, which can impact negatively on their health. There can be financial hardship and stressful life, which – over time – can have health consequences such as high blood pressure, or immune and circulatory complications. On the other hand, people who have adequate income and employment are likely to experience health outcomes that are less dependent on material needs. Generally, the degree to which people feel they have control over their circumstances is related to how healthy they are. Increased exposure to stress, as well as a lack of resources, skills, social support and connection to the community can contribute to less healthy coping skills and poorer health behaviours such as smoking, over-consumption of alcohol and less healthy eating habits (P HAC,2008).For example Mr X narrated his story after recovery from stroke about the cause of his sickness. He admitted that it is his poor social life that brought about the sickness. Being an engineer from his country, he could not found the desired work because employers were asking him for UK experience; he was forced later to settle for cleaning job and found it difficult to cope with high standard of living in London. He developed high blood pressure which later led to stroke.
Moreover, environments, as it relates to health, can be defined as “all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related behaviors” (ODPHP, 2014). These factors affect human health in significant ways which can be positive or negative. The positive factors are vital in sustaining and promoting good health. These include farming, air quality, soil quality, water, ozone layer, sanitation, good space for living. The negative factors are environmental disruption such as flood, earthquakes, drought, fire, pollution, disruption cause by war, violence and environmental waste (Athenaglobal, 2004). Considering good space for living, where a person lives can be a guide to longevity and their standing in society. For example between Belsize Park and Kilburn in London , there is a 10-year variation in life expectancy for men (79.6 years in Belsize Park, 69.7 in Kilburn (The In other words, poor places may have worse health because poor people live in poor places, and poor people have worse health than the rich. Therefore people and places both matter in health .There is much more striking variation in mortality for people at the bottom of the social tree than for those at the top. In London, for example, people classified (in the old registrar-general\’s scheme) as unskilled manual have about twice the mortality rate of top professionals. Studies confirm that mental illness and self-reported health problems vary more among areas for people lower in the social hierarchy. Physical environment – safe water and clean air, healthy workplaces, safe houses, communities and roads all contribute to good health (The Guardian, 2005).
Furthermore, individual psychological factors on health emphasise on individual lifestyle as a determinant of health can be seen in most policies and strategies. The main issues addressed usually include diet and physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, drug intake and sexual activity, Many attempts to promote public health have focused on the individual and their lifestyle, and this seems to be a fairly common-sense approach. After all, it could be argued that if individuals ate a little less and took more exercise, then they would be less likely to become obese. If they smoked less and drank less alcohol they would be at a reduced risk of long-term conditions such as heart disease or cirrhosis, and if individuals engaged in safe sex, then they would be less likely to become infected with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Individual behaviour can play an important part in health and illness, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle could well be simply a matter of self-control (OU, 2016). Psychological circumstances can cause long-term stress. Continuing anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem, social isolation and lack of control over work and home life, have powerful effects on health. Such psychosocial risks accumulate during life and increase the chances of poor mental health and premature death (Technologies M, 2016).In the course of my care experience, there are many patients that I have seen that smoke, drink and got addicted. They believe these acts relieve stress but fail to understand the health significant of smoking and drinking. With the trainings I got on promoting health and wellbeing, I have been able to help by referring them to Smoking cessation team and stop drinking team for advice while respecting their right of choice.
In conclusion, this essay has explored a wide range of issues in relation to health and its determinants. It has considered the definition of health and the significant of the health factors, the effects of the factors on people’s health, ranging from social factors to individual psychological factors. It can be inferred that, the health and its determinants or factors play an important roles in how long or short people can live and enjoy life. According to Marmot in his review, it will be good to create conditions for people to take control of their own lives. This requires action across the social determinants of health and beyond the reach of the NHS. Emphasising on the role of government, the voluntary and private sector to a key play role in reducing health inequalities by promoting sustainable local communities, active transport, sustainable food production, and zero carbon houses, all of which have health benefits in creating a sustainable future. In addition, enabling all children, young people and adults to maximize their capabilities and have control over their lives, creating fair employment and good work for all, ensuring a healthy standard of living for all, creating and developing sustainable places and communities, strengthening the role and impact of ill-health prevention(LGA,2010).
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The health of population is related to features of society, its social and economic organisation. Many factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. To great extent, these factors determine the state of the health and have considerable impacts on health of the society(WHO 2016).This essay will discuss the definition of health and the health determinants which include social division, economic disparity, environment and individual psychological factors, explaining their great impact on the health of individual in the society.
Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 1948).According to Hwadmin et al., (2011) the first step towards using the concept of “health, as the ability to adapt and to self manage” is to identify and characterise it for the three domains of health which are physical, mental, and social. In the physical domain, a healthy person is capable of maintaining physiological homoeostasis through changing circumstances by mounting a protective response, to reduce the potential for harm, and restore equilibrium when confronted with physiological stress. In the mental domain, it is the ability to successfully cope, recover from strong psychological stress, and prevent post-traumatic stress disorders. While for social domain, it is the ability to adapt to limitation so as to fulfil potential, obligations and manage life with some degree of independence and participate in social activities including work.
The range of social, economic, environmental and individual psychological factors that influence health status of people are known as determinants of health. It is the interrelationships among these factors that determine individual and population health. Determinants of health reach beyond the boundaries of traditional health care and public health sectors.
As for social factors, society is divided and structured according to social class, race, gender, disability and age. These are the conditions, in which people are born, grow, work, live and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life .These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems(WHO, 2016. Whether measured by income, education, place of residence or occupation, people at the top of the social gradient have the most power and resources, and on average live longer and healthier lives. People at the bottom have the least power and usually run at least twice the risk of serious illness and premature death as those near the top. (DHHS,2016) Poor social circumstances affect health throughout life. The social gradient in health runs right across society. Stressful circumstances, making people feel worried, anxious and unable to cope, which can damage their health and lead to premature death. For social division, British statistics have shown the health follows a social gradient: the higher the social position, the better the health (Marmot.M,2011). For example adult obesity rates are on the rise in the UK and locally, and it is estimated that 20-30 per cent of the adult population in Tower Hamlets is clinically obese. This is due to a poverty, lack of physical activity and the widespread availability of cheap, unhealthy food in the local areas that are densely populated with people in lower class (THC, nd).
Similarly, economic factors such as income and education have a direct bearing on health and strongly interact to influence people standard of living. People with very low incomes, for example, often lack resources and access to nutritious food, adequate housing, and working conditions, which can impact negatively on their health. There can be financial hardship and stressful life, which – over time – can have health consequences such as high blood pressure, or immune and circulatory complications. On the other hand, people who have adequate income and employment are likely to experience health outcomes that are less dependent on material needs. Generally, the degree to which people feel they have control over their circumstances is related to how healthy they are. Increased exposure to stress, as well as a lack of resources, skills, social support and connection to the community can contribute to less healthy coping skills and poorer health behaviours such as smoking, over-consumption of alcohol and less healthy eating habits (P HAC,2008).For example Mr X narrated his story after recovery from stroke about the cause of his sickness. He admitted that it is his poor social life that brought about the sickness. Being an engineer from his country, he could not found the desired work because employers were asking him for UK experience; he was forced later to settle for cleaning job and found it difficult to cope with high standard of living in London. He developed high blood pressure which later led to stroke.
Moreover, environments, as it relates to health, can be defined as “all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related behaviors” (ODPHP, 2014). These factors affect human health in significant ways which can be positive or negative. The positive factors are vital in sustaining and promoting good health. These include farming, air quality, soil quality, water, ozone layer, sanitation, good space for living. The negative factors are environmental disruption such as flood, earthquakes, drought, fire, pollution, disruption cause by war, violence and environmental waste (Athenaglobal, 2004). Considering good space for living, where a person lives can be a guide to longevity and their standing in society. For example between Belsize Park and Kilburn in London , there is a 10-year variation in life expectancy for men (79.6 years in Belsize Park, 69.7 in Kilburn (The In other words, poor places may have worse health because poor people live in poor places, and poor people have worse health than the rich. Therefore people and places both matter in health .There is much more striking variation in mortality for people at the bottom of the social tree than for those at the top. In London, for example, people classified (in the old registrar-general\’s scheme) as unskilled manual have about twice the mortality rate of top professionals. Studies confirm that mental illness and self-reported health problems vary more among areas for people lower in the social hierarchy. Physical environment – safe water and clean air, healthy workplaces, safe houses, communities and roads all contribute to good health (The Guardian, 2005).
Furthermore, individual psychological factors on health emphasise on individual lifestyle as a determinant of health can be seen in most policies and strategies. The main issues addressed usually include diet and physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, drug intake and sexual activity, Many attempts to promote public health have focused on the individual and their lifestyle, and this seems to be a fairly common-sense approach. After all, it could be argued that if individuals ate a little less and took more exercise, then they would be less likely to become obese. If they smoked less and drank less alcohol they would be at a reduced risk of long-term conditions such as heart disease or cirrhosis, and if individuals engaged in safe sex, then they would be less likely to become infected with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Individual behaviour can play an important part in health and illness, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle could well be simply a matter of self-control (OU, 2016). Psychological circumstances can cause long-term stress. Continuing anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem, social isolation and lack of control over work and home life, have powerful effects on health. Such psychosocial risks accumulate during life and increase the chances of poor mental health and premature death (Technologies M, 2016).In the course of my care experience, there are many patients that I have seen that smoke, drink and got addicted. They believe these acts relieve stress but fail to understand the health significant of smoking and drinking. With the trainings I got on promoting health and wellbeing, I have been able to help by referring them to Smoking cessation team and stop drinking team for advice while respecting their right of choice.
In conclusion, this essay has explored a wide range of issues in relation to health and its determinants. It has considered the definition of health and the significant of the health factors, the effects of the factors on people’s health, ranging from social factors to individual psychological factors. It can be inferred that, the health and its determinants or factors play an important roles in how long or short people can live and enjoy life. According to Marmot in his review, it will be good to create conditions for people to take control of their own lives. This requires action across the social determinants of health and beyond the reach of the NHS. Emphasising on the role of government, the voluntary and private sector to a key play role in reducing health inequalities by promoting sustainable local communities, active transport, sustainable food production, and zero carbon houses, all of which have health benefits in creating a sustainable future. In addition, enabling all children, young people and adults to maximize their capabilities and have control over their lives, creating fair employment and good work for all, ensuring a healthy standard of living for all, creating and developing sustainable places and communities, strengthening the role and impact of ill-health prevention(LGA,2010).