DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH- ENGLISH
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DETERMINANTS
OF HEALTH-
The
term ‘determinants of health’ was introduced in the 1970s and it refers to
those factors that have a significant influence, whether positive or negative,
on health. Health is the result of multiple factors including those
genetic, biological, and lifestyle factors relating to the individual and those
factors relating to the structure of society and its policies.
Health
determinants are grouped as follows:
§
Biological
determinants
§
Nutritional
determinants
§
Behavioral and
socio cultural determinants
§
Environmental
determinants
§
Socio-economic
determinants
§
Health services
determinants
§
Other determinants
§
Biological determinants - Biological determinants includes our genetic
structure. Many of physical and psychological characteristics are decided by
genetic information that we get from our parents. A number of diseases are also
associated with genes such as chromosomal anomalies, errors of metabolism,
mental retardation etc.
It is
the main determinant of health as human life starts from our genetic makeup. It
is estimated that approximately there are about 30000 gene in human genome. Our
physique , height weight, color also affect
or determine our health as these features form a part of our
personality.
§
Nutritional determinants- Nutrition is another important determinant of health
. It has individual, family, and community dimensions. The East/West, and rural/urban
regions have remarkably different challenges related to nutrition. Generally,
at one end of the spectrum, there is less physical activity, calorie overload,
but poor nutrition mainly due to junk food consumption. At the other end of the
spectrum there is calorie deficiency, protein malnutrition, and
undernourishment.
Poor people living in urban areas may have a diet
consisting of cheap energy mainly from sugar-rich foods, with little intake of
vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. They have relatively less physical
activity. On the other hand, poor communities from rural areas might have
intense physical activities, but not sufficient energy and protein.
§
Behavioral and socio cultural determinants- Behavioral and sociocultural determinant is also known as life style determinant. What
and how we behave in our environment be it physical social or cultural, it
have definite effect on our health. Life styles are earned through
interaction with parents, peer groups friends ,school and media.
Healthy lifestyle
such as morning walk, yoga,
exercises, enough sleep, maintenance of
good hygiene etc. determines positive health and unhealthy lifestyle such as
smoking drinking late sleeping late arising leads to poor health. Even social interaction and cultural
activities determines our health.
§
Environmental determinants- Environment be it internal or external also
determines our health. Internal environment is defined as each and every component of our body such
as cells tissue, organs hormones and other
chemical of our body. External environment is
each and everything which
surrounds us such as air, plants, society, other animals etc. all affects
our health some in positive way
and some in negative way.
Urban communities face problems related to
environmental degradation, air and water
pollution; rural communities face problems related to sanitation, hygiene,
insecticides, pesticides, and
agrochemicals. Thus, the poor are most likely to suffer because of the negative
effect of this determinant of health.
It is and established fact that the environment hase
direct effect on the physical mental and social wellbeing of those who are
living in it. The environmental factors range from housing, water supply
psychological stress and family structure through social support system.
§
Socio-economic determinants- The majority of the people’s health status is
determined by their level of socio economic development. These factors includes
economic status, educational status, employment, housing and political
system the country. Poor economic status
reduces the access to medical care.
Poor economy
and educational status also affects
nutritional intake and awareness of people which further results in poor
health. Good educational status can improve awareness and in-turn results in
good health, which can be proved by the example of Kerala state.
§
Health services determinants- Availability and accessibility to medical care also
determines our health status. The main
purpose of health services is to improve the health status of the people. For example availability
of good
immunization services in an area increases herd immunity of the population and decreases
the rate of disease incidence.
§
Other determinants- Other
determinants includes aging of
the population where older people and
children are at higher risk of
developing illnesses. Gender is also an
determinant of health . There are some
disorders which are more
prevalent in females such as anemia, cancers and gynecological problems.
Infrastructure development, communication technology,
information technology development, scientific development are the other
important determinants of health
and affect our health mostly in
positive way.
Thank you so much respected sir
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