Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Development

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Addressing Social Determinants of Health and
Development
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What are social determinants of community health
and development?
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Social determinants of community health and
development issues are the social factors that
determine and influence the issues.
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The three overarching factors are

• Economic inequality
• Social connectedness
• Sense of efficacy

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The ways they most often play out are in

• Differences in exposure
• Differences in vulnerability
• Differences in consequences for different
  populations.

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More specific social determinants can include

• Racial and ethnic bias.
• Cultural differences.
• Media influences.
• Politics.
• Living conditions.
• Geography.

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Why address social determinants of community
health and development?

• If you want to solve or prevent a problem for the
  long term, you have to deal with its root causes.
  
• If you address the root causes, youre more
  likely to successfully address the issue for the
  short term as well.
• The social factors involved may have more
  resonance for those affected than the issue
  itself.

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Why address social determinants of community
health and development?

• It may be easier to approach an issue through its
  underlying social factors than to deal with it
  directly. 
• Addressing the social determinants of community
  issues is crucial to understanding them fully, so
  that your strategy and tactics for dealing with
  them correspond to reality.
• Addressing social determinants presents a
  tremendous opportunity for learning and community
  leadership development. 

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Who should address social determinants of
community health and development?

• Those affected by the issues (the targets of
  change).
• Those who can have an effect on the issues (the
  agents of change).
• Staff members from organizations that work
  directly with the target population and/or the
  issue.
• Respected community leaders and citizens.
• Those who will be asked to change, sacrifice, or
  take action in order to address the issue.
• Anyone else who has a stake in the issue.

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When should you address social determinants of
community health and development?

• When its clear that simply focusing on the issue
  isnt enough.
• When youre advocating for changes in laws,
  policies, or funding.
• When youre seeking fundamental change.
• When youre seeking a long-term solution to a
  long-term problem.
• When your focus is on community wellness and
  prevention.

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How do you identify social determinants of
community health and development?

• You assess the community
• You ask people who know.
• You apply critical thinking principles to the
  issue.
• You ask the right questions.

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How do you address social determinants of health
and community development?
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You work to address larger social factors through
environmental and policy conditions, including

• Knowledge and skills
• Support within and between groups
• Modification of access to, barriers to, and
  opportunities for resources and services
• Consequences of actions
• Exposure to or protection from hazards
• Policy change

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Youre guided by basic principles

• People most affected should choose the issues and
  plan strategies for the work.
• True change in social determinants demands
  comprehensive interventions that address multiple
  and interrelated factors at multiple levels.
• Collaborative efforts should aim at bringing
  about change in multiple sectors and systems.
• Support organizations should build capacity in
  the community to control its own fate.

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Youre guided by basic principles

• Health and development efforts should involve
  collaborative partners as catalysts for change.
• Strategies should be self-sufficient and
  sustainable over the long term.
• Efforts should be aimed at goals that can be
  accomplished by the people in question with the
  resources at hand.
• Successes should be consolidated and maintained,
  so that new and greater challenges can be taken
  on.
• Efforts should continue indefinitely.