Social Determinants
[Family Type] [Housing tenure] [Household income] [Socioeconomic indices] [Crime rates] [Aged pension, disability & sickness benefits] [Unemployment & family assistance benefits]
Introduction
Socioeconomic status can be measured in a variety of ways but all socioeconomic indicators are consistently associated with health outcomes, even when age, gender and other traditional risk factors are taken into account.
Family : Family structure has a strong impact on the health and wellbeing of children and their parents and can impact on the availability to families of resources and skills needed to achieve resilience to life stresses caused by work and financial problems. Inadequate family income is more common in single parent families and poverty has a strong impact on health. Family breakdown can also have adverse social and health consequences for children and their parents.
Income, income distribution and social status : Research indicates that income, especially income distribution, and social status are the single most important and influential determinant of health. Studies have shown that health improves with each step up the income and social hierarchy and the greater the gap between the rich and poor, the greater the differences in health within that community. In addition, societies which are reasonably prosperous and have more equitable distributions of wealth have healthier populations, regardless of the amount of money they spend on health care. The level of receipt of income support in a community provides a measure of the amount of poverty. The level of receipt of government financial assistance (ie: unemployment benefits, aged pension, family assistance benefits and disability benefits) provides an indication of the number of people who are both economically disadvantaged, and have higher needs for health services.
Education : Health status improves with people's levels of education and literacy. Education increases opportunities for income and job security and provides people with a sense of control. Low literacy skills and poor education also clearly influence other determinants - having been linked to higher stress levels, reduced self confidence, poor employment opportunities and poor social support. People with higher levels of education, as a group, experience better physical and psychological wellbeing. Higher levels of parental education are also associated with better health. Reasons for this may include not only the potential for better occupations, job opportunities and incomes, but also a greater sense of personal control and reward for work.
Employment and working conditions : Unemployment and high workplace stress is directly linked with poor health. People who have more control over their work circumstances and fewer stress related demands on their job enjoy better health status.
Source : Northern Rivers Health Equity Working Group. Northern Rivers Equity Profile – Phase 1 Northern Rivers Area Health Service: Lismore, September 2003.
| Suggested citation of this publication: | Population Health, Planning and Performance Directorate, North Coast Area Health Profile. North Coast Area Health Service, Lismore. Available at: . Accessed (insert date of access). |
| Produced by: | Public Health Unit (Population Health, Planning and Performance Directorate), North Coast Area Health Service. |