Social Determinants of Health (September 30, 2002) Overview of Social Determinants of Health Dennis Raphael School of Health Policy and Management York University, Toronto, Canada

Poor conditions lead to poorer health. An unhealthy material environment and unhealthy behaviours have direct harmful effects, but the worries and insecurities of daily life and the lack of supportive environments also have an influence. Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts, World Health Organization,

Social Determinants of Health: Literary Perspectives We know what makes us ill. When we are ill we are told That it’s you who will heal us. When we come to you Our rags are torn off us And you listen all over our naked body. As to the cause of our illness One glance at our rags would Tell you more. It is the same cause that wears out Our bodies and our clothes. -- Bertolt Brecht, A Worker’s Speech to a Doctor, 1938.

Social Determinants of Health: Academic Perspectives It is one of the greatest of contemporary social injustices that people who live in the most disadvantaged circumstances have more illnesses, more disability and shorter lives than those who are more affluent. -- Benzeval, Judge, & Whitehead, 1995, p.xxi, Tackling Inequalities in Health: An Agenda for Action.

Canadian Government Statements on Social Determinants of Health I All policies which have a direct bearing on health need to be coordinated. The list is long and includes, among others, income security, employment, education, housing, business, agriculture, transportation, justice and technology. -- Achieving Health For All: A Framework for Health Promotion, J. Epp. Ottawa: Health and Welfare Canada, 1986.

Canadian Government Statements on Social Determinants of Health II There is strong evidence indicating that factors outside the health care system significantly affect health. These “determinants of health” include income and social status, social support networks, education, employment and working conditions, physical environments, social environments, biology and genetic endowment, personal health practices and coping skills, healthy child development, health services, gender and culture. -- Taking Action on Population Health: A Position Paper for Health Promotion and Programs Branch Staff. Ottawa: Health Canada, 1998.

Canadian Government Statements on Social Determinants of Health III In the case of poverty, unemployment, stress, and violence, the influence on health is direct, negative and often shocking for a country as wealthy and as highly regarded as Canada. -- The Statistical Report on the Health of Canadians. Ottawa: Health Canada, 1998.

Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts - social gradient - stress - early life - social exclusion - work - unemployment - social support - addictions - food - transport - World Health Organization, 1998

Ottawa Charter’s Prerequisites of Health peace shelter education food income a stable eco-system sustainable resources social justice equity World Health Organization, 1986

Health Canada’s Determinants of Health Income and Social Status Social Support Networks Education Employment/Working Conditions Social Environments Physical Environments Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills Healthy Child Development Biology and Genetic Endowment Health Services Gender Culture

Why Emphasize Social Determinants? Social determinants of health have a direct impact on health Social determinants predict the greatest proportion of health status variance Social determinants of health structure health behaviours Social determinants of health interact with each other to produce health

PYLL(0-74) by Cause, 1996 %

Excess PYLL(0-74) by Cause, 1996 %

Neighbourhoods by Income Quintile, Urban Canada 1st (Highest Income) 2nd3rd4th 5th (Lowest Income) MalesFemales Figure 5: Cardiovascular Deaths Per 100,000, Urban Canada,

4,614 8,090 11,837 13,935 13,115 Neighbourhoods by Income Quintile, Ontario 1st (Highest Income) 2nd3rd4th5th (Lowest Income) 0 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 Figure 7 : Heart Attack Hospital Admissions by Area Income, Ontario,

It was found that those living in lower income areas were much more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those in well-off neighbourhoods. These effects remained strong even after controlling for tobacco use, level of physical activity, presence of hypertension or diabetes, level of cholesterol, and body mass index. - Summary of Neighbourhood of Residence and Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease, A. Roux, S. Merkin, D. Arnett, et al. New England Journal of Medicine, 2001, 345,