Question

Chapter 11 lists 6 determinants of health as it discussed Public Health. What are these? Give a brief definition or example of each.

Answer 1

* Six determinants of health

                    * Physical environment.

                    * Economic status and income.

                    * Social relations.

                    * Culture.

                    * Availability of health services.

                    * Education and employment.

* Physical environment

                   * It include noise level,air quality,availability of water and other natural resources,man

                      made buildings which influence the health of a person.

                      Eg; A clean environment with out air pollution can avoid lot of health problems in people

                            living in that area.

* Economic status and income.

                  * It include financial stability or status of people with directly influence the ability to approach

                     good health care services and avoid nutritional deficiency problems due to proverty.

                    Eg; People who live in low economic status have malnutrition and vitamin deficiency

                           diseases.

* Social relations.

               * Maintaining good social relations help to improve the mental health of people who live

                 in a society.

                 Eg; Participation of people in social welfare programs,festivals help to enhance the

                       mental status.

* Culture

            * Cultural practices which a group of people follow will influence their decisions regarding

               seeking health care for different diease conditions.

                Eg; In some tribal cultures people only use herbs from the forest for all diseases and

                       refuse to take advanced medical treatment.

* Availability of health services.

               * Availability of speciality hospitals and community health care services help to improve

                 the well being of people in the society.

                 Eg; Community health care centers in rural areas help to manage health problems of

                        people in that area.

* Education and employment.

                * Awareness about various communicable and non communicable diseases in a

                  population established by education and working situvations in a company or institution

                  will affect the health of the people.

                  Eg; Knowlege about life style diseases like hypertension,diabetic melitus,obesity help

                         to prevent it's occurance.