Social Determinants of Health

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses social determinants of health, focusing on food, security, housing and the social safety net. The paper explains how these social determinants of health are linked and how they come to influence health. The paper outlines Canada's policy options to improve the quality of these social determinants of health and looks at the barriers to implementing them. The paper shows how, unfortunately, poor housing, food insecurity, and the social safety net are no longer political and economic priorities.

Outline:
Introduction
Housing
Food Insecurity
The Social Safety Net
Pathways
Policy Options for Improving Quality of Social Determinants
Barriers to Implementation of Policy Options
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Social determinants of health comprise the economic and social conditions that affect the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions. Social determinants of health determine health status, the various types and quality of resources the person or group has, as well as how those resources are made available (Raphael, 2004). Resources include income, the availability of food, housing and employment conditions. The approach to health based on the social determinants of health is concerned with "how a society organizes and distributes economic and social resources [and] directs attention to economic and social policies as means of improving health" (Raphael, 2004)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Armstrong, P. (2004). Health social policy, social economies, and the voluntary sector. In Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. D. Raphael, ed., Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.
• Bryant, T. (2004). Housing and health. In Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. D. Raphael, ed., Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.
• McIntyre, L. (2004). Food insecurity. In Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. D. Raphael, ed., Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.
• Shapcott,M. (2004). Housing. In Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. D. Raphael, ed., Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.
• Tarasuk, V. (2004). Health implications of food insecurity. In Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. D. Raphael, ed., Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.

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