HLTH101- Notes

What SDoH impact Addiction?

All of them;

• Income and social protection

• Education

• Unemployment and job insecurity

• Working conditions

• Housing

• Food insecurity

• Early childhood development

• Social inclusion and non-discrimination

• Structural conflict

• Access to affordable healthcare of decent quality

What language can be used to reduce stigma about addiction?

• Addict, Abuser, Junkie= Person with a substance use disorder

• Abuse= Misuse

• Drug Habit= Substance use disorder

• Former Addict= Person in recovery, Addiction survivor

What are some strategies for Addiction and Substance Misuse?

• Harm Reduction

  • Ex. Needle exchange programs

• Prevention and Education

• Treatment and Rehab

  • Providing individuals with the necessary support/resources to overcome addiction

• Legal and Regulatory Approaches

  • Laws and regulations to manage drug use

    • Ex. Decriminalization

What is Food Insecurity?

The lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life

What can Food Insecurity be brought on by?

• Economic constraints

• Geographical barriers

• Emergency situations

What is Housing Insecurity?

Lack of stable and adequate housing, Poor housing conditions

Food (In)security as a SDoH?

• Nutritional Health (i.e. access, malnutrition)

• Mental Health (i.e. stress, anxiety, social isolation)

• Healthcare Access (i.e. preventable health issues)

Housing (In)security as a SDoH?

• Physical Health (i.e. unsafe living conditions, overcrowding)

• Mental Health (i.e. instability and stress, child development)

• Access to services (i.e. limited access to healthcare, transport challenges)

What are some solutions for Homelessness?

• Food Assistance Programs

• Community Food Programs

• Increase Affordable Housing Supply

• Rent Control
  

If abortion was banned in the US, overall percent of maternal deaths would be: …Death percent for Black Women

Overall 24%, Black Women 39%

What is Global Warming?

The increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases

Consequences of Climate Change

• Rising temperatures 

• Extreme weather events

  • Ex. Flooding, Hurricanes

• Melting ice, rising sea levels

• Impacts on biodiversity

  • Ex. Species extinction

• Food security, agriculture

  • Ex. Crop failures

• Human health

Environmental Racism

Racialized individuals live in areas with higher exposure to environmental hazards

How does climate change impact Indigenous populations?

• Disruption of traditional lifestyles 

  • Climate change threatens resources

• Land rights and displacement

• Social exclusion, marginalization

  • Limited political power

What are some solutions for Climate Change?

• Transition to Renewable Energy 

  • Solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal

• Sustainable Agriculture/Food

  • Regenerative agriculture

    • Ex. Agroforestry, Crop rotation

  • Reduce food waste

  • Plant based diets

• Reforestation

  • Promote large-scale reforestation (restore degraded lands)

  • Agroforestry

Criminalization = ???

Social Control

Criminal Justice System = ???

Poor Health

• Poor healthcare in prisons 

• Disrupts support structures

• Poor rehabilitation programs

Examples of Criminalization of health-related behaviours?

• Substance misuse (Ex. Drug possession)

• Homelessness

In what ways is homelessness criminalized?

• Loitering 

• Trespassing 

Strain Theory

Crime arises when individuals are unable to achieve socially approved goals through Legitimate means= Turning to crime as an alternative was to achieve these goals

Social Disorganization Theory

Crime is more likely to occur in communities where social institutions are weak or ineffective

• Fail to regulate behaviour or provide the social cohesion necessary to prevent crime

Labelling Theory

Crime is the result of society labelling certain behaviours of individuals as deviant

• Self fulfilling prophecy

Recidivism

The tendency of previously incarcerated individuals to reoffend

What are some solutions for Health and Criminal Behaviour?

• Health-Centered Criminal Justice Reforms

  • Shifting from punitive justice approaches to health-centered models- focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment

• Ex. Diversion Programs

  • Route individuals with mental health issues or substance use disorders away from incarceration and into treatment program

• Trauma-Informed Care and Holistic Reentry Programs 

  • Help individuals successfully reintegrate into society- reduce likelihood of reoffending 

    • Include healthcare, housing, employment assistance, and mental health support

Pros of Defunding the Police?

• Reinvestment in Community-Based Health and Social Services

• Addressing structural inequalities

• Reduction in police violence

Cons of Defunding the Police?

• Risk to public safety 

• Insufficient alternatives

• Strain on other services (EMS, fire)

What is Democracy?

A system of government in which power is vested in the people

How does “Neoliberalism threaten Democracy”

• Increasing health inequities

• Underfunding of public health 

• Continued privatization of health services

• Focus on individual responsibility 

• Complete erosion of the welfare state

How do Misconceptions about Health impede Policy Action regarding the SDoH?

1. Health is primarily about Individual Choices

• When policymakers and public focus on individual responsibility for health, they dismiss the importance of social factors such as; poverty, access to education and working conditions

2. Health Inequities are Inevitable

• When health inequalities are seen as inevitable or natural

• Ex. Indigenous Health Disparities

3. Health Policy should focus only on Healthcare

• A narrow focus on healthcare leads to policies that prioritize funding for medical services and hospital infrastructure

  • Fail to address the upstream causes of poor health

• Ex. Privatization

4. Economic Growth will solve Health Inequities

• Policymakers may focus on policies that aim to increase GDP or create jobs without considering how the distribution of wealth/resources affects health outcomes

• Ex. Income Inequality and Health Care

5. Change is too Expensive

• Deters governments from investing in policies that have the potential to significantly improve the SDoH

  • Such as expanding social safety nets, or raising minimum wage

What are some examples of “progressive” policies

• Canada’s National Housing Strategy (2017)

• Canada Child Benefit (2016)

• Indigenous Health Initiatives 

• Minimum Wage Increases