DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH Custom Nursing Essay

“Healthy People 2020” is a national program for 10 years developed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services aimed to improving the health of all Americans. This program determines objectives related with health of American population and necessary actions to achieve these objectives. The program also identifies 5 Determinants of Health, which are personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status are known as determinants of health. Determinants of health include such things as biology, genetics, individual behavior, access to health services, and the environment in which people are born, live, learn, play, work, and age”. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

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According to the “Healthy People 2020”, Determinants of Health are divided into 5 categories, which include

• policymaking
• social factors
• health services
• individual behavior
• biology and genetics. (S. Department of Health and Human Services)

These determinants in combination affect the health of each resident and the entire population, and generally determine the level of the nation’s health. It is therefore important that the program include actions aimed at each and all of these determinants. For example, if we consider social factors, the level of culture in society, the psychological climate, the existence of discrimination (of any restrictions on rights), social support (friendship among neighbors, social relationships, loneliness and alienation) effect on the level of the nation’s health. If we speak about individual behavior, then the health of the population depends on such factors as the structure and nature of the family (in terms of the family), level of education – primary, secondary, higher education, profession and occupation, the lack of “risky” behavior, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, physical activity, recreation, etc.

However, an important determinant that is regulated by the government is health services, namely, their availability, scope and accessibility to the public. Speaking of this determinant, it is necessary to point out such important factors as: availability (in terms of location and accessibility for people with disabilities, as well as cost) and quality of primary and secondary medical care, public health, medical care for children, social services, leisure and entertainment facilities, employment and employment services, public transport, and other.