Pubh2001 Social And Political Determinants Assessment Answers

Questions:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key social and political determinants of health

Analyse the relationship between the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and patterns of health inequities in Australia and globally

Apply theories and knowledge of SDOH to real world Public Health contexts

Demonstrate the ability to critically analyse Public Health research, evidence and activities relating to SDOH

1) Describe and explain patterns in physical activity

Answers:

Introduction:

The impact of environmental determinants on health outcomes have been researched extensively in the past decade, however, there still are significant gaps available in the available data regarding the patterns of influence of the health determinants on the outcome. One of the most vital health behaviour that potentially leads to a vast range of different health abnormalities is the lack of physical activity. There are a variety of different external and internal factors that influence the lack of awareness regarding physical fitness in a given community. However, the most profound of impacts is imparted by the social capital (Caperchione et al., 2012).

Social capital can be defined as any social connection or relationship prevalent in the community that shapes the concepts of health literacy and awareness in the community members, and there are innumerable factors that define the relation of social capital on any particular health outcome or particular health behaviour. This assignment will attempt to discover the impact of social capital as a determinant on the lack of physical activity taking the Older Culturally and Linguistically diverse Australians as the chosen population group.

Patterns in physical activity for the chosen population:

Physical activity can be considered as one of the most impactful health promotional behaviour which can help in warding off a wide variety of different health problems like cardiac disorders, diabetes, renal diseases and obesity. However, considering the population of choice for this paper, there is a significant lack of physical activity which in turn is reflected as a rapidly rising rate of cardiovascular and renal disorders in the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older Australians. It has to be understood that Australia comprises if a vastly multicultural population and the CALD migrants, and according to the recent statistics, Australia has witnessed a massive increase in the rate of migration in the last decade (Caperchione et al., 2011). As a result Australia is now home to double the number of migrant residents than a decade ago. Therefore, the cultural and linguistically diversity has also increased rapidly in the Australian society, and the resettlement into westernized culture of the host country has been discovered as a considerable challenge for the diverse ethnic communities. According to the recent consensus, the data indicates at the CALD population being extremely vulnerable to a vast majority of health risks and co-morbidities. Among the variety of reasons that are prevalent in the CALD communities and the increasing health risks is the challenging process of acculturation, adapting to the westernized culture of the host country.

Acculturation can be defined as the phenomenon where a community or a particular group of individuals belonging to different cultural backgrounds encounter the subsequent changes in their original cultural patterns of all the different cultural backgrounds coming together. Now, it has to be understood that despite the alarming risk for non- communicable diseases there is a significant lack of any considerable physical exercise regime or activity. According o the data available, the culturally and linguistically diverse communities less likely to participate in the health promotional and preventative activities, moreover, in the older individuals, proactive efforts for preventative and promotional health behaviours is completely absent (Kohl et al, 2012).

On a more elaborative note, the percentage of individuals having a sedentary lifestyle is crucially high in case of Australia; about 12 million adult Australian residents follow very little or no physical activity regime on a daily basis. Now considering the elderly population, a total percentage of 40.4% individuals belonging to the age group of 64 to 75 have a sedentary lifestyle; and about 57.2% belong to the age group of older than 75 have a sedentary lifestyle. Alarmingly the rate of the culturally and linguistically diverse elderly population living the sedentary lifestyle devoid of any proactive efforts towards physical fitness is more than 80%. Furthermore, it also needs to be mentioned within this context that the level of physical fitness awareness is even lesser in the female ethnic elderly than the male elder population (Vagetti et al., 2014).

Now, considering the factors influencing the alarmingly low physical activity in the elderly population belonging to the multicultural backgrounds, one of the most important contributing factors is the challenging process of acculturation. It has to be understood in this context that the migrants are subjected to a drastic cultural change upon migration, and the impact of such a change is manifested into a number of restrictions into their lifestyles in general, which is turn continues to affect their living standards and conscious health behaviours. In many of the extensive research studies, the authors have discovered the migrant elderly population to claim that they have been more physically active in their home countries than the one they inhabit now. Elaborating more, the lifestyle standards of the westernized countries are very different from the lesser developed home countries of the migrants, and many have dedicated the change in their lifestyle after migration to be a stable cause behind the lack of physical activity (Nierkens et al., 2013).

Furthermore, among all the other related determinants of this health abnormality of the CALD groups, the impact of lack of health literacy and awareness and socio- economic status continue to be the greatest contributing factor. Sun, Norman & While, (2013) in their article have stated, the challenge in adaptation of the host culture is largely experienced by the older generation is due to a number of reasons. First and foremost the generation gap can be a significant factor behind the restrictions that the elderly population face while adapting the westernized style of living. According to the most of the survey data on the perception of the elderly members of CALD communities, most cannot understand the complicated methods of socially accepted norms of physical activity; hence they refrain from adapting to these complex physical activity measures. On the other hand, the vigorous physical activities that they are familiar with are not largely accepted in the westernized Australian society; which limits of the chances of the elderly population from getting the opportunity of physical exercise (Franco et al., 2015).

Apart from that the conspicuous lack of health literacy in the elderly populations of the Australian CALD communities is another very important contributing factor behind the predicament. The cultural and linguistic barriers restrict them from being a part of the preventative and health promotional campaigning that emphasizes on the importance of physical activity and its role as a preventative health behaviour. The personal perception of the elderly population belonging to the CAD communities play profound roles in the health behaviour; for instance, the environmental variable like green and open spaces, street intersections, safety statistics of the neighbourhood, recreational facilities within walkable distances play a profound roles as well (McNaughton et al., 2012). The modernized modes and tools for daily vigorous physical activities evade the personal preferences of the elderly populations, and hence their chances of having physical regime involving open walkable spaces continue to become bleaker by the day with the westernized millennial generation’s inclination towards the modernized tools and equipments of physical activity. Hence, it can be stated that there are a myriad of different determining factors that influence the level of physical activity observed in the CALD elderly population, and most of these factors are socially determined. Hence, improving their social relationship with the host country can effectively help in improving this health behaviour in the chosen vulnerable population (Gebel et al., 2015).

Role of social capital in promoting physical activity:

Long after the revolution of health care services as the right based approach, the right to good health and wellbeing is still not gained equity in terms of availability and accessibility among all sectors of the society. Considering the culturally diverse minority groups within the society, discrimination and disparities are even more predominant that continues to restrict the accessibility of healthy living for the migrants (O’Driscoll et al., 2014). The prime focus of this assignment paper had been on the level of physical activity observed and its connection with social determinants of health for the population group of culturally and linguistically diverse elderly populations. And as mentioned above, there are various societal and environmental factors that restrict the level of physical activity in the chosen population. Elaborating more, the discussed determinant include the challenging process of host country acculturation, lack of health literacy, social exclusion from preventative programs due to cultural barriers, cultural influence on lifestyle patterns and most of all the discrimination faced by the non-native majority. All the discussed elements of health determinants bore a social relationship with the population chosen, and the lack of social acceptance and disparity continue to be the underlying reason behind the alarming situation (King et al., 2013).

Social capital can be defined as the connection or interaction of the society or community that provides compassionate investment of conscious efforts that can collaboratively help in overcoming the barriers experienced by the marginalized groups and help them in attaining better and healthy living standards. In simple terms, social capital can be defined as the interaction between the social and community networks that can help in better utilization of health care services, both preventative and promotional (Eriksson, 2011). The concept of social capital, when applied onto the concepts of health promotion, by providing knowledge and understanding on how effectively the social network interventions can be designed and executed to attain best health promotion outcomes. There are various distinct forms of social capital within the context of health; bonding, bridging and linking, and employing these principles not only help in mapping the community intervention actions towards the best interest of the target group but also aid in equal distribution of the community network interventions among all vulnerable target groups. Implementing principles of social capital helps into the context of health promotion will help in conceptualizing and streamlining the cumulative community efforts, so that a useful framework can be generated that guides the establishment of health supportive environments for all the target groups and enlist intervention actions that can achieve this goal (Ahnquist, Wamala & Lindstrom, 2012).

It has to be understood in this context that the culturally and linguistically diverse elderly population face the majority of the health care difficulties due to their inability to adapt to the societal culture of the host country. Considering Australia, there are multiple elderly physical recreational facilities for the elderly to invest their time in the physical activities that they can carry out. However, the unequal distribution of social privileges subjects the culturally and linguistically diverse communities to social isolation and discrimination. For the aged members of the cultural communities the level of rejection faced is much higher due to the massive lack of knowledge and understanding of the language and lifestyle methods (Murayama, Fujiwara & Kawachi, 2012). Social capital can be the excellent strategy that can incorporate inclusion and equity in the society so that all the aged members of the society can participate in the preventative and promotional programs and facilities, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background. According to the World Health Organization (2014), a very important concept regarding the alarming lack of physical activity patterns in the CALD populations is the fact that the women are far less proactive about fitness than the men; and this gender governed inequality in accessibility to health care and promotional campaigning is the prime reason behind the prevalence of cardiovascular and blood sugar related diseases in the females of the culturally diverse populations. The social capital principles however are considered to gender and power blind, hence the implementation of this social framework will obliterate any gender bias or discrimination based on the socio-economic status of the individuals. Social capital and its rightful utilization ensures returns along with equity, hence this bidirectional strategic framework will not only ensure that equity is established in the availability of physical activity facilities for the culturally diverse elders but will also emphasize on the results; hence the focus of the community actions will not just be on including the culturally diverse groups, but will also on making the facilities or services more easily accessible and operable for the CALD populations so that the optimal utilization is attained (Eriksson, 2011).

Conclusion:

On a concluding note it can be said, that the most of the environmental influence on the health outcome of a marginalized group is directly or indirectly linked to the societal variables. These factors not only influence the accessibility and availability of the health care for the marginalized vulnerable populations, it also influences the quality of care that the marginalized communities get as well. Incorporating the concept of optimal social capital will target all the variables prevalent propelling the components of social rejection and discrimination and will help in attaining improved living standards for the marginalized populations.

Reference:

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