NURS 6710 Week 6 Defining the Determinants of Health Essay

NURS 6710 Week 6 Defining the Determinants of Health Essay Assignment

Powerful, complex relationships exist between health and biology, genetics, and individual behavior, and between health and health services, socioeconomic status, the physical environment, discrimination, racism, literacy levels, and legislative policies. These factors, which influence an individual’s or population’s health, are known as determinants of health. The health of individuals, populations, and the communities in which they live is influenced by a wide range of contributory factors. Therefore, if our ultimate goal is to promote health for all, then we must have a clear understanding of those determinants of health.

Public health nurses and other public health professionals are entrusted with protecting and ensuring the health of individuals, populations, and communities. Armed with knowledge of the multiple determinants of health, public health nurses can approach health promotion and disease prevention from a broader perspective. This week, you will analyze some of the specific determinants of health and examine their influence on health outcomes of individuals and populations.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Define health
Analyze determinants of health
Compare resources necessary to achieve optimal health between populations

Discussion: Defining Health

“The range of personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status are known as determinants of health. Determinants of health fall under several broad categories: Policymaking, Social factors, Health Services, Individual Behavior, and Biology and Genetics”. —Healthy People 2020

As stated, these categories of health are broad. One important competency of a public health nurse is the ability to recognize and consider the linkages between these categories when addressing the health needs of a population.

For this Discussion, you will consider definitions of health across populations.

To Prepare:

- Review the Healthy People 2020 website and reflect on what makes some people healthy and others unhealthy.
- Review this week’s Learning Resources, giving specific attention to perspectives provided by the “Determinants of Health” video.

By Day 3

Post a response to the question: “In your own words, how do you define health?” Explain the resources needed to achieve optimal health in a population. Then, explain what resources are available in your own community for supporting the achievement of health.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues by comparing your responses to the question: “How do you define health?” Then, compare the resources you included as necessary to achieve optimal health in your community to those cited by your colleagues and explain why the necessary resources may differ between individuals and communities.

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