Determinants of Health

In reviewing some of the available literature around the social determinant of health in Canada I found lists that were 5, 7 and 12 determinants each. In a comparison of the different lists from the WHO, Government of Canada and Ontario the basis of the lists are the same including reference to physical, social, environmental and economic influences on population health.

The Government of Canada (2018) defines the main determinants of health as:

Income and social status

Employment and working conditions

Education and literacy

Childhood experiences

Physical environments

Social supports and coping skills

Healthy behaviours

Access to health services

Biology and genetic endowment

Gender

Culture/Race/Racism

Provincially and locally, I came across the Public Health Ontario Marginalization Index and Social Determinants of Health Map (Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion ,2019). Each of these, the map and the index, are used to promote evidence-based public health in Ontario by enhancing understanding around the distribution of the social determinants of health; as well as addressing barriers and identifying gaps in the availability of health related services. (Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, 2019) The Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (2019) further uses the data and evidence to support research into, for example, screening for intimate partner violence in health care and social service --through work done by the Center for Urban Solutions based out of St Michael's Hospital Research Institute (St Michaels Hospital, n.d.b)—This group is looking to reduce inequalities and enhance this population’s health by breaking down some of the barriers to access to health services by implementing applications that are more digitally accessible.

Provincially and locally, I came across the Public Health Ontario Marginalization Index and Social Determinants of Health Map (Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion ,2019). Each of these, the map and the index, are used to promote evidence-based public health in Ontario by enhancing understanding around the distribution of the social determinants of health; as well as addressing barriers and identifying gaps in the availability of health related services. (Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, 2019) The Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (2019) further uses the data and evidence to support research into, for example, screening for intimate partner violence in health care and social service --through work done by the Center for Urban Solutions based out of St Michalels Hospital Research Institute (St Michaels Hospital, n.d.b)—This group is looking to reduce inequalities and enhance this population’s health by breaking down some of the barriers to access to health services by implementing applications that are more digitally accessible.

The Government of Canada (2018) defines inequalities as modifiable, and focuses their efforts on using evidence based research to reduce inequalities and increase access to health care services across regions. Why not use technology to try to decrease inequality related to access to health services? An example of using technology to reduce inequity in the delivery of health care to people with learning disabilities uses a program called Lincus, a picture and simple word-based application for recording health and wellbeing information, and the Health Equalities Framework—this program enhances communication between the clinician and the patient where before the patient many not have been able to communicate/ not have had a voice; this application moves to enhance access to services across populations. (The Health Foundation, n.d).

REFERNCES

Government of Canada (2018) Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html

The Health Foundation (n.d.) Using accessible technology to improve the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities

Hft (Home farm trust). Retrieved from https://www.health.org.uk/improvement-projects/using-accessible-technology-to-improve-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-people-with

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (2019). Social Determinants of Health Map. Retrieved from https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/data-and-analysis/health-equity/social-determinants-of-health

St Michaels Hospital (n.d.a) About Us. Retrieved from http://stmichaelshospitalresearch.ca/research-programs/urban-health-solutions/about-us/

St Michaels Hospital (n.d.b) Screening for intimate partner violence in health care and social Service settingsvWITH Women Study. Retrieved from

http://stmichaelshospitalresearch.ca/research-programs/urban-health-solutions/our-projects/addressing-barriers-and-identifying-gaps-in-health-related-services/screening-for-intimate-partner-violence-in-health-care-and-social-service-settings-with-women/