An Overview of Social Determinants of Health

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is a state of full physical, mental and emotional well being and not just the absence of illness and disease. Various definitions have been used over the years for various purposes. The dictionary definition of health is being healthy, well balanced, having sound health, having good relationships, and having a sense of worth. It also describes the ability to work productively in an environment that allows one to develop these attitudes and attain self-awareness and self-empowerment. Health is the result of one’s ability to attain personal values based on their culture and their individualism.

The ability to have good general health depends on the quality of the sources of nutrition and the amount of exercise one gets. In today’s public health environment it has become essential to promote general well-being in order to reduce health-related costs. The concept of public health aims at preventing the spread of diseases, promoting healthy living, preventing the prevention of premature death, and maintaining the general level of physical fitness. Although all these aspects are interrelated, promoting one’s general health depends on the efforts of individuals. Individuals can achieve well-balanced health by adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, and consuming appropriate amount of nutritional supplements. Public health also requires making organizations and communities aware of the need to control excessive body weight, promote healthy eating, and give children the proper nutrition they require for growing up.

The pursuit of healthy living will ensure long term survival of the human population; therefore, the primary objective of all governmental health promotion programs is to reduce health disparities. A social determinant, such as race, gender, socio-economic status, or other relevant social factors, has been found to be associated with poor outcomes in a wide range of domains. Despite increasing awareness about health risks and strategies to prevent them, some health problems are known to persist even when addressed through treatment. Health promotion is thus an important tool for combating health equity.