The Docs always say "health begins at home", but beyond personal responsibility our health is impacted by other factors of our environment known as the Social Determinants of Health. What are they? Why do they matter? And how do they contribute to health disparities? How do they impact cancer outcomes?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Social Determinants of Health as the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes; simply put the circumstances in which we live work and play. These generally fall within these 5 categories:
Each of these categories can have a significant impact on the quality of healthcare an individual, family, or community has access to. We touch on several of these in previous episodes. For example, we mentioned in "Cervical Monologues" that there are areas where there is a lack of gynecologists in certain areas. Lack of physicians means less opportunity for treatment, and often people just go untreated rather than invest additional energy into finding a provider. In "Inequity By Design", we discuss how neighborhoods that are built in certain low-income areas deemed "ghettos" were actually designed without greenery which has actually led to higher incidences of asthma and other respiratory disorders.
All of these factors combine to create a holistic view of health - and health barriers - for an individual. Taking these into account can help providers, policy makers, and teachers make informed decisions about how best to treat or aid individuals.
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Dr. Karen Winkfield
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Dr. Zanetta Lamar
