SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO VARIATIONS IN HEALTH STATUS

SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS

The social and cultural conditions into which people are born, grow, live, work and age.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS (SES)

refers to a person’s position in society relative to other people based on three factors: income + occupation + education

income; influences ability to access resources like housing, food, healthcare, recreation

education; those who are more educated are more likely to be health literate, increasing the ability to lead healthy lifestyles and access healthcare.

occupation; manual labour and sedentary roles may affect ones health overtime.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

there is a two-way relationship between health outcomes and unemployment.

for some it is ill health that causes unemployment (such as an injury or disease), and for others it is unemployment that causes health problems (such as stress and depression). Often works as a cycle.

SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

social networks relate to the bonds between an individual and their family and peer group, and the ability to participate in the society in which they live.

social exclusion refers to the segregation that people experience if they are not adequately participating in the society in which they live.

social connection leads to lower rates of self-harm and suicide, lower rates of mental health disorders, less likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours, and experienced lower morbidity and increased life expectancy.

SOCIAL ISOLATION

refers to individuals who are not in regular contact with others; may be due to disease, transport limitations, etc

LONELINESS refers to a SUBJECTIVE feeling of having less social contact than desired.

CULTURAL BACKGROUND

Cultural background relates to customs, ideas, values and traditions of a particular society that are passed through generations.

Cultural backgrounds that impact health outcomes include gender stereotypes, food intake, attitudes and beliefs. They are sometimes referred to as ‘social expectations’.

FOOD SECURITY

refers to having access to nutritionally adequate, culturally appropriate, safe food regularly.

food insecurity relates to when healthy, affordable food is not obtainable.

EARLY LIFE EXPERIENCES

Behaviours of women while they are pregnant are early life experiences for unborn babies that can contribute to a range of health issues.

Infancy is also a critical period for the impact of early life experiences.

maternal tobacco/alcohol use, maternal stress are all factors relation to health outcomes in early life experiences.

foetal alcohol spectrum disorder → maternal alcohol use

low birth weight → maternal alcohol/drug use and maternal stress

ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE

refers to accessing services that promote and preserve health. these services diagnose, treat, and manage disease.

barriers such as cultural, financial, geography and transport factors may decrease ones ability to access to healthcare.

COMMERCIAL FACTORS

commercial factors relate to the impact that the private sector has on health and wellbeing.

The private sector includes all non-government entities that generally work to generate a profit.

The private sector can influence health outcomes in both positive and negative ways, by influencing the use of products such as tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol, food, cars, medicine and online platforms, including social media sites.