Social determinants of health identify ways to create physical and social environments to promote good health for all. As individual, we all deserve the opportunity to make choices to promote good health. Examples of social determinants include the availability of resources for individuals to meet their daily needs, access to healthcare services, education and social support. In an effort to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to improve their health, advances are necessary in education, childcare, housing, community planning, transportation and agriculture.
Having the ability to make health choices and having the resources available to make the healthy choices are two different concepts. While many individuals desire to live healthy lifestyle, they do not have the resources or don’t know where to find help to acquire the resources to improve their health. For individuals who live in poverty, disease is more prevalent.
The chain of communicable disease transmission is represented by a linked chain. The links in the chain represent each stage of transmission from reservoir through a portal of exit via mode of transmission to a portal of entry in a susceptible host. Modes of transmission and portals may differ, depending on the organism being transmitted. Hand washing, utilizing precautions and cleaning with appropriate disinfectants are helpful tools to decrease the transmission of diseases (Green, 2018).
Reference:
Grand Canyon University (ED).(2018). Community & Public health: The future of health care. Retrieved from https://Ic.gcumedia.com/nrs427vn/community-and-public-health-the-future-of-health-care/v1.1/
Social Determinants of Health | Healthy People 2020. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-obectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health
Social determinants of health are conditions contributing or hindering a person’s well being or health. Conditions include where people are borne, grow, live, play, learn, worship, work and age.(Healthy people.gov.2018; WHO,n.d.a)
Available resources affect ones quality of health such as affordable housing, access to education, public safety, availability of healthy foods, toxin free environment and health services availability. Lack social determinants of health leads to disease and poor health resulting into early mortality. safe effective people centered, timely, equitable, integrated and efficient services are hallmarks of quality of health services.(WHO,2017)
The communicable disease chain model represents each link that must be present for disease to occur. These include a pathogen or a causative agent, a reservoir (human, animal or environmental source of pathogen), a portal exit from the reservoir, mode of transmission, a portal entry into a susceptible host and a susceptible host.
Nurses can ensure proper waste disposal immediately at the point of use for example disposal of infectious waste in the correct bins, disposal of sharps in the correct sharps containers and proper use of PPEs and hand sanitizers as well as hand washing with soap and water.
References.
Social Determinants of Health, Fron Healthy People 2020 website Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=39
Chain of infection Retrieved from http://lc.gcumedia.com/nsg403c/chain-of-infection/chain-of-infection-v1.1.html
Chapter 2: Community and Public Health: The Future of Health Care. Retrieved from https://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/grand-canyo -university/2018/community-and-public-health_the-future-of-health-care_1e.php
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