Pharmacology reply 4

Social determinants of health will include the following factors but is not limited to; a person’s residence/ the neighborhood they are located, what foods they are able to afford, food insecurity, their education status, economic stability, social and community health care available to them, and their immediate/ surrounding environment. For example, if an individual lives in a low-income neighborhood, they may find it difficult to locate supermarkets that sell nutritious and fresh produce, stores, as well as restaurants that offer healthier options. If the individual does not have sufficient funds to afford quality foods, then they will not be able to buy the foods that will supply themselves and their families with the nutrients that they require. This is especially a critical area of concern when we look at the rising obesity epidemic that continues to climb not only in the United States but around the world. Without access to adequate health care, patients will not be able to attain the care that they require for their specific aliments . Lastly, without the proper education concerning healthy foods and choices, the individual may struggle to become a sufficient advocate for themselves, which may result in the patient making poor choices due to a knowledge deficit in regards to healthy eating. Also, if the patient finds it difficult to understand their medication prescriptions, they may be deterred from taking their required medication or consistently meeting with their healthcare provider when necessary.

Health and social disparities can be described as the differences in health outcomes and their causes among groups of people (What Are Social Determinants of Health?, 2019) or a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage (Disparities | Healthy People 2020, 2020). For example, African American children are more likely to die from asthma than non-Hispanic white children. Health and wealth are also strongly correlated and it has been proven that the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to be classified as healthier than the economic class below you (What Are Social Determinants of Health?, 2019). The level of one’s education also strongly correlates to wealth and thereby, wealth. 

As nurses, we can address social determinants by keeping an open attitude, being respectful of differences among ourselves and our patients, being aware of our own implicit biases, and resourceful in extending needed care for each and every patient. We need to be able to address socioeconomic factors that influence health by building a meaningful raptor with our patients and actively listening and assessing social and health determinants  (stated by the patient) that will influence the patients overall health. For example, some social determinants that we may encounter in the clinical setting may include, housing insecurity, safety concerns, and job loss. In this situation, the nurse should ask questions regarding the patients housing situation and what the patients specific safety concerns are. In regards to job loss, it would be important to assess what factors contributed to them losing their job, how did they feel/perceive/ cope with their job loss, and what they plan on doing now that have lost their job. Social determinants are the driving factors that cause health disparities, hence, if social determinants  are changed for the better, disparities will decrease in regards to the individual, groups, and communities. And these shrinking disparities will advance the individual, groups, and community towards health equity.