NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR CHANGE

Social Determinants of Health

Jennifer Franks

Capella University

Economics and Decision Making in Health Care

Dr.Lisa Merritt

January 27, 2023

Social Determinants of Health

Healthcare economics is a complex and ever-changing field of study that directly impacts communities and populations. One of the most pressing issues in this field is the social determinants of health: the conditions in which people live, grow, are born, and age. The social and economic environment, including the distribution of money, power, and resources at a societal level, primarily determine these conditions. As a result, social determinants of health play a significant role in determining the health outcomes of individuals and communities. They are often linked to healthcare access, quality, and product disparities. The paper discusses the social determinants of health and their impact on a specific community or population, the rationale for choosing this healthcare economic issue, and how it has affected the work, organization, colleagues, and community.

The impact of social determinants on health and the outcome of healthcare can be seen in various ways. For example, people living in poverty are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease due to limited access to healthy food, safe housing, and preventative healthcare (Maness et al., 2021). Furthermore, people living in poverty are more likely to suffer from mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, due to limited access to mental health resources. In addition, people living in specific neighborhoods are more likely to suffer from environmental health issues, such as water and air pollution, due to their proximity to industrial sites. The rationale for choosing social determinants of health as a healthcare economic issue is that it affects the health outcomes of individuals and populations across the country. Furthermore, tackling the issue of social determinants of health is essential to reducing health disparities and improving population health outcomes.

The social determinants of health have significantly affected work, organization, colleagues, and community. In work, I have seen firsthand how social determinants of health can impact the health outcomes of individuals and populations. I have seen how access to resources such as healthcare, education, and housing can improve health outcomes and how the lack of access to these resources can lead to poorer health outcomes. In the organization, colleagues have worked to reduce health disparities by focusing on the social determinants of health through education, advocacy, and community building. In my community, I have seen how the lack of access to resources can lead to poorer health outcomes and how addressing social determinants of health can help to improve population health.

The gap contributing to the need to address social determinants of health is the need for more access to resources for specific populations. For example, disadvantaged populations often have limited access to healthcare, education, and housing resources. It can lead to poorer health outcomes (Palmer et al., 2019). Furthermore, specific populations may be more likely to be exposed to environmental health issues, such as air and water pollution, due to their proximity to industrial sites. Addressing these gaps is essential to reducing health disparities and improving population health outcomes.

In conclusion, the social determinants of health are the conditions in which people live, work, are born, and age, which shape individual and population health outcomes. These conditions include social, economic, and environmental factors such as education, housing and transportation, access to healthcare, and income and employment. These factors interact with biological and behavioral determinants and can contribute to health disparities across populations. Access to resources such as healthcare, education, and housing can improve health outcomes. However, access to lacked resources is a gap that needs to be addressed.

References

Maness, S. B., Merrell, L., Thompson, E. L., Griner, S. B., Kline, N., & Wheldon, C. (2021). Social determinants of health and health disparities: COVID-19 exposures and mortality among African American people in the United States.  Public Health Reports,  136(1), 18-22.

Palmer, R. C., Ismond, D., Rodriquez, E. J., & Kaufman, J. S. (2019). Social determinants of health: future directions for health disparities research.  American Journal of Public Health,  109(S1), S70-S71.