What Are Social Determinants of Health?

It is no longer news that health is wealth. But what is more news now is that it doesn’t take much to get your health in a poor state, especially if you’re a woman. Statistics show that women live longer than men, and they are more likely to get chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. If you’re a woman and want to know how to improve your health, keep reading!

health

To understand health, you first need to know what constitutes it. According to the World Health Organization, “health is the condition of being able to carry out normal physical activities, without limitation or risk.” A wide variety of definitions have been applied over the years for different purposes. But a definition that covers most of the things that make up human health can be stated as the ability to live a long, healthy life in the presence of illness, injury or disease.

Living a quality life, as defined by the World Health Organization is dependent on three factors: good nutrition, regular physical activity and a supportive mental health. These three components can be improved by making some changes to your lifestyle. For example, if you find yourself spending most of your day sitting at your desk and seldom walking around, then your physical environment has a lot to do with your poor health. You may benefit from learning some basic exercise and relaxation techniques that allow you to live a healthier life.

Another important factor in your overall well-being is your mental health. If you are happy, you are physically healthy and your stress levels are low, you will have high levels of physical well-being. But if you are unhappy, you are prone to sickness, disease, depression and mental illness. A mental health specialist can help you determine your personal optimal level of happiness, as well as teach you how to enhance your mental health. Learning how to manage your stress and developing positive mental skills such as being a good listener and accepting the opinions of others will go a long way toward ensuring that you enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

There is also a relationship between population health and well-being, as well as between income and health. The economically disadvantaged are more likely to suffer from diseases, disability and illness. The mentally ill are more likely to be unemployed and suffer from depression and other mental disorders. Thus, effective public health care and primary health care are essential for reducing health disparities and improving overall well-being. Improved access to health care and primary prevention services will reduce health disparities through various strategies including education, training and practice programs that build community health.

There are a number of other factors that affect your well-being, including your genetics, social conditions and environment. Poor nutrition, drug use and underweight and obese youth are among the social conditions that can influence health. Socio-economic status and ethnicity can affect health and life expectancy. However, environmental factors such as pollution, noise, household chemicals and tobacco smoke can also influence health. It is important that we understand these various aspects of social determinants of health in order to ensure that we achieve good health.