Question

What are social determinants of health? Explain how social determinants of health

contribute to the development of disease. Describe the fundamental idea that the

communicable disease chain model is designed to represent. Give an example of the steps a

nurse can take to break the link within the communicable disease chain.

Resources within your text covering international/global health, and the websites in the topic

materials, will assist you in answering this discussion question

Answer 1

Ans. 1. Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.

Ans. 2. Social structure and economic systems are responsible for most health inequalities. Physical and social environments, health services and structural and societal factors are included in social structures and economic systems. Shaping social determinants are power, distribution of money, and resources throughout local communities, nations and world.

Social determinants of health such as poverty, unequal access to health care, lack of education, stigma, and racism are underlying, contributing factors of health inequities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is committed to achieving improvements in people's lives by reducing health inequities.

Some examples of social determinants of health that contribute to the development of illness are:

Availability of safe housing, food, clean water

Access  to education

Access to employment and safe working conditions.

Access to health care services

Social exclusion/inclusion

Poor housing conditions can lead to mold exposure, lead exposure, rodent infestations, and more. These conditions can lead to illness such as bronchitis, allergies, and much more. Lack of education results in a decrease of understanding and lack of employment leads to financial difficulties. This can result in medication compliance problems due to lack of funds to pay for medication, as well as follow up doctor visits. Health care services may notbe available in all communities. Some people may have to travel to see their provider or specialty care.

The social and economic environment,

The person's individual characteristics and behaviours.

environmental factors;

• lifestyles or individual ways of life;

• genetic factors;

• the health care system

Every society has its own sicknesses reflecting the socio-economic conditions of the society itself. They reflect not only economic, social and hygienic circumstances, not only the individuals' way of living or their environment, but deeper values, norms and cultural patterns. The concept of health requires a discussion of the relation between the individual and society and how the concept is created and changes through new practices and aims at both a microlevel and a macrolevel.

Ans. 3. This model explains the spread of a communicable disease from one host (or person) to another. The basic idea represented in the chain of infection is that individuals can break the chain (reduce the risk) at any point, thus the spread of the disease can be stopped.

Chain of infection:-

Communicable disease Disease caused by an infectious agent.

Human reservoir : - The human being who is harboring the infectious agent.

Portal of exit :- The body part through which the infectious agent is exiting from the reservoir, for example the mouth or the anus.

Transmission The spread of the infectious agent from the reservoir to the host.

Portal of entry :- The body part through which the infectious agent will enter the new host, for example the skin after a mosquito bite, the mouth.

Establishment of disease in new host (susceptible person) :- The host develops signs and symptoms of the new disease.

Immunizations, health education, nutrition promotion; sexual abstinence, condom use, etc.

The communicable disease chain starts with the infectious agent(microbes-all types). Infectious diseases are a result from interaction between the agent, host, and environment.When the agent leaves the reservoir(human, animal or plant/soil) transmission of the disease occurs. The reservoir may not show signs of illness. The portal of exit (respiratory,blood, GI, sexual, integumentary) is next in the communicable disease chain. During this step the pathogen leaves its host, and is transmitted (means of transmission) either directly through skin-to-skin contact, kissing, or sexual intercourse, or indirect transmission such as air particles. Portal of re-entry is how the pathogen enters a susceptible host. Through respiratory, blood, integumentary, GI or sexual activity, the same means as the portal of exit. Susceptible hosts typically have factors that increase their susceptibility to diseases such as, alcoholism, malnutrition, or impaired immune systems .

Ans . 4. Some steps that a nurse can take to break a link within the communicable disease chain is educating good hand hygiene, have those that are ill wear masks to protect themselves andothers. Keep open wounds covered. Where gloves when working with patients.

There are steps to break a link within the communicable disease chain. For example cholera infection’s portal of exit is feces. The chain can be broken here by educating the affected community on proper disposal of fecal matter and regular hand washing with soap and water after using the restroom. The mode of transmission is contaminated water and food prepared withcontaminated water. Health education on consumption of safe water and food by showing them how to make water clean through boiling, sieving, decontamination and proper food handling arevery crucial in halting the infection process at this point and portal of entry. Recently approved vaccines Vaxchora a single dose live oral vaccine is recommended for adults who are 18-64years old and are travelling to an area of active cholera transmission. Cholera vaccines offer incomplete protection. Therefore, vaccination should never take the place of standard prevention and control measures.