Social Determinants of Health: A Comparative Approach

Social Determinants of Health: A Comparative Approach introduces the various elements that determine the health of individuals in their communities. The text takes a macro-level approach, focusing on population health rather than strictly on individual health. Social Determinants of Health focuses on "Anglo-American" countries-Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia-examining the commonalities and differences socially, economically, and politically. The text begins by outlining the background, theory, and evidence for a population health perspective. This is followed by discussion of environmental factors, such as employment, housing, and diet, and social factors such as gender, support and well-being, and being an Aboriginal person. The text concludes with an overview of the social patterning of health-relevant behaviour and the politics of health-related policy. Written in an accessible manner, Social Determinants of Health further engages students by offering case studies and "Pause and Reflect" boxes, as well as end-of-chapter questions, suggested readings, and websites.

Table of Contents:
PREFACE ; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ; INTRODUCTION: THE CONVENTIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTH AND ITS ALTERNATIVE ; HOW WE UNDERSTAND THREATS TO OUR HEALTH ; A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON OUR HEALTH: RISE OF AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW ; HEALTH INEQUALITIES ; THE BASIS OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES ; WHAT LIES AHEAD ; 1. THINKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL AND POPULATION HEALTH ; SYNOPSIS ; LEVELS OF ANALYSIS ; INDIVIDUAL LEVEL ANALYSIS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE ; ORIGINS OF POPULATION HEALTH ; SOME NOTES ON TERMS ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 2. POPULATION HEALTH AND SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY ; SYNOPSIS ; THE EMERGENCE OF THE FIELD "SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY" ; GEOFFREY ROSE AND THE POPULATION HEALTH PERSPECTIVE ; THE IMPACT OF RECENT STUDIES ON THINKING ABOUT HEALTH ; THE GRADIENT IN HEALTH ; THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THEORY ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 3. INCOME, INEQUALITY, AND HEALTH ; SYNOPSIS ; THE GRADIENT IN HEALTH ; UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCOME AND HEALTH ; THE INEQUALITY HYPOTHESIS UNDER ASSAULT ; WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF THE LITERATURE ON INEQUALITY AND HEALTH? ; THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING MATERIALIST ARGUMENTS SEPARATE FROM ONES ABOUT HIERARCHY AND ; CONTROL ; INCOME AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION ; PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ; POVERTY AND ITS MITIGATION ; LOWER TAXES OR MORE PUBLIC SPENDING? ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 4. CHILDHOOD AND THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD ; SYNOPSIS ; EARLY CHILDHOOD ; ANIMAL STUDIES ; CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PSYCHOLOGY ; EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY ; A NOTE ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ; OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 5. SOCIAL SUPPORT, SOCIAL CAPITAL, AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION ; SYNOPSIS ; SOCIAL NORMS, PREDICTABILITY, AND HUMAN HEALTH ; SOCIAL NETWORKS ; SOCIAL SUPPORT AND HEALTH ; SOCIAL COHESION ; SOCIAL CAPITAL ; SENSE OF COMMUNITY BELONGING ; SOCIAL EXCLUSION ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 6. HEALTH OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES ; SYNOPSIS ; WHO ARE THE ABORIGINAL PEOPLES? ; THE HEALTH OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES ; UNDERSTANDING THE DETERMINANTS OF ABORIGINAL HEALTH ; A STORY OF DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 7. GENDER AND HEALTH ; SYNOPSIS ; THE HEALTH OF WOMEN AND MEN ; THE EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE ON HEALTH ; DISTRESS AMONG WOMEN ; GENDER EQUITY ; EDUCATION AND THE HEALTH OF WOMEN AND THEIR COMMUNITIES ; GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDERED PEOPLE ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 8. EMPLOYMENT, WORKING CONDITIONS, AND HEALTH ; SYNOPSIS ; THE CENTRALITY OF EMPLOYMENT TO ADULT HEALTH ; HEALTH AND JOBS ; UNEMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH ; CHANGES IN THE NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT ; WORKING CONDITIONS AND HEALTH ; POLICIES AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT, EARNINGS, JOB BENEFITS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 9. HOUSING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD ; SYNOPSIS ; HOMES AND HEALTH ; NEIGHBOURHOOD AND HEALTH ; URBAN DESIGN, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ; HOUSING POLICY AND HEALTH ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 10. FOOD, FOOD INSECURITY, OBESITY, AND NUTRITION ; SYNOPSIS ; DIET AND THE HEALTH OF POPULATIONS ; WHAT IS A HEALTHY DIET? THE CANADA FOOD GUIDE ; THE RELATIVE COST OF HEALTHY FOODS ; OBESITY ; DIET AND HEALTH ; POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 11. SOCIAL PATTERNING OF BEHAVIOUR ; SYNOPSIS ; HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND ITS CONTEXT ; HEALTHY LIFESTYLES ; THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ; SUMMARY ; CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; 12. THE POLITICS OF POPULATION HEALTH ; MODELS OF HEALTH ; GLOBALIZATION AND HUMAN HEALTH ; POPULATION HEALTH AND POLITICS ; ANNOTATED SUGGESTED READINGS ; ANNOTATED WEBSITES ; GLOSSARY ; REFERENCES ; INDEX