Determinants of Health

In Canada, the main determinants of health include living and social conditions. These can be viewed from evolutionary aspects such as health care, individual lifestyles, and behaviors, politically from the economy or socially. The evidence shows that prevention in early childhood experiences can impact an individual’s life by advocating for health policies for food security, education, and higher levels of employment (Glouberman, Millar, 2003). The health population has been viewed as a socioeconomic pillar and the authors state that "studies show that social and economy influence a person's health more, compared to an individual’s own lifestyle behaviors" (Glouberman & Millar, 2003).

The main determinants of health in Canada include a person’s income, wage or social class, where they are employed, what type of education, childhood upbringing, physical environments, social supports and coping, healthy behaviors, access to health services, genetics, gender, culture and race (Government of Canada, 2022).

According to Canadian facts, “experiences of discrimination, racism, and historical trauma are important social determinants of health for certain groups such as Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ, and Black Canadians” (Raphael, Bryant, Mikkonen, Raphael, 2020). The authors state that the social determinants of health include all the main determinants, food insecurity, housing, social exclusion, social safety net, geography, disability, Indigenous ancestry, immigration, and globalization (Raphael et al., 2020).

References

Government of Canada (2022, June 14). Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequities. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html

Raphael. D., Bryant. T., Mikkonen. J., Raphael. A. (2020). Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts (2nd ed). https://www.thecanadianfacts.org

S, Millar. J, (2003 Mar). Evolution of the determinants of health, health policy, and health information systems in Canada. Am J Public Health. 93(3): 388-92. doi:10.2105/ajph.93.388. PMID:12604478;PMCID: PMC 1447749.