Health Issues and Social Justice

Health Issues

Topic Overview

• The topic will cover:

  • How something becomes a health issue.

  • The relationship between health issues and social justice principles (equity, diversity, and supportive environments).

  • Reasons for the existence of health inequalities.

  • Examples of past, contemporary, and emerging health issues.

  • Examples of high and low profile health issues.

• The level of attention given to an illness or medical condition determines its status or profile.This disparity often reflects socio-economic factors, where diseases affecting marginalized populations receive significantly less funding and public awareness compared to those affecting more affluent communities.

What is a Health Issue?

• Health issues are derived from broad health-related topics (e.g., smoking).

• Topics are refined into health concerns identified through observation and data (e.g., smoking rates).

• Health concerns are expressed in the context of social injustice.

• A health issue is developed by establishing unfairness for a population section that exacerbates a health concern (e.g., high smoking-related deaths among Indigenous Australians).

Steps to Define a Health Issue

• Topic -> Health Concerns (identified/observed) -> Concern expressed in the context of social justice -> Health issue developed from establishing unfairness for a section of the population.

• Example: Dementia.

Using Health Issues in Health Studies

• Health issues encompass questions, debates, contentions, and problems that highlight health inequalities.

• Issues should be framed concerning the unit of study (e.g., global health).

• Foreign Aid should be increasing, not decreasing.

• Health issues address questions like:

  • How is the population placed at risk?

  • How is health perceived by the population?

  • How is health sustained within a population?

Articulating Health Issues

• The health issue is articulated into a statement (question, series of questions, or single statement).

• Example: "Smoking has a negative impact on an individual’s long term health."

• Health issues should be relevant to students' interests and needs.

Determining a Health Issue

• Investigate health concerns relevant to student interests by considering:

  • What is the issue? (Source a reputable definition).

  • What data identifies the issue's significance?

  • Who are the stakeholders? (Values, attitudes, knowledge, understanding, and control).

  • What health outcomes apply to individuals and groups?

Further Considerations for Determining Health Issues

• What predictions can be made if social justice aspects (equity, diversity, and supportive environments) are not covered in health promotion, prevention, and treatment?

• How can stakeholders influence health outcomes?

• What importance do the community, government, and health professionals attribute to the issue?

• Be conscious of cultural or religious sensitivities.

Social Justice

• Social Justice Principles: Equity, Diversity, Supportive Environments.

• Social Justice provides a critical lens for examining the consistency, fairness, and appropriateness of health outcomes.

• View any issue in Health Studies through the 'Social Justice' lens.

• The three principles help establish the authenticity of an issue by directing attention to inequities in health status and access to resources, aiding in determining solutions.

Social Justice Principles Explained

• Equity: Fairness in access to resources; determines if health outcomes are fair and just. Demonstrates concern for welfare, rights, and dignity. Recognizes disadvantages and actions to address them. (e.g., Medicare).

• Diversity: Encompasses characteristics, circumstances, and experiences of stakeholders affected by health outcomes. Recognizes beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors from different viewpoints (age, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity). Explores conflicting views, negotiation, assertiveness, active listening, and questioning. (e.g., Royal Flying Doctors Service).

• Supportive Environments: Socio-cultural, physical, political, emotional, cultural, educational, economic, and social capital surrounds that support positive health outcomes. Develop environments by recognizing home, school, and community and promoting healthy practices through consultation, interaction, and cooperation. (e.g., Asthma Friendly Schools).

Social Justice Principles - Summary

• Equity: Access to resources and fair health outcomes.

• Diversity: Variety of characteristics, circumstances, and experiences of stakeholders.

• Supportive Environments: Socio-cultural, physical, political, emotional, cultural, educational, economic and social capital surrounds supporting positive health outcomes.

Health Inequalities

• Why do health inequalities exist?

  • Access, knowledge/education, cost, cultural differences, language barriers, fear, ignorance.

• Why are different groups affected differently?

  • Different groups are affected differently by health issues due to various factors, including access to resources, knowledge/education, cost, cultural differences, language barriers, fear, and ignorance.

• Compare different health issues and their governmental, community, and media reactions.

Addressing Health Injustices

• Why is support for health not uniform?

  • Support for health varies due to differing health issue profiles.

• What causes differences in support?

  • Differences arise from public awareness, media, and advocacy.

• What can be done to solve health injustices (realistically and theoretically)?

  • Differences arise from public awareness, media, and advocacy.

• Examples of injustices (individual, government, hospitals)?

Social Justice & Health Equity

• Social justice involves establishing supportive environments and promoting diversity.

• Principles manage health inequities based on morbidity/mortality rates and cultural, social, economic, and political factors.

• Example: Higher mortality rates in rural/isolated areas. Social justice aims to provide fair resource allocation for optimal health.

Classifying Health Issues

• Classify health issues into three categories:

  • Past Health Issues (e.g., Smallpox, Polio).

  • Contemporary Health Issues (e.g., Obesity, Depression, Covid 19).

  • Emerging Health Issues (e.g., Ebola, Pancreatic Cancer).

Health Issue Examples

• Obesity, Hemochromatosis, Kidney failure, Leukaemia, Ebola, Influenza, Sickle cell anemia, CVD, Dementia, Smallpox, Cystic Fibrosis, HIV/AIDS, Rabies, Covid 19, Pancreatic Cancer, Malaria, Polio, Depression, Cold Sores, Tetanus.

High/Low Profile Health Issues

• High Profile Health Issues Examples.

• Low Profile Health Issues Examples.

Factors Influencing Health Issue Profile

• Health issues increase in status when:

  • Many individuals are affected.

  • Support and lobby groups get involved.

  • Professionals and government representatives voice concerns.

  • Media increases awareness.

Factors Influencing Low Profile Health Issues

• Health issues decrease in status when the above factors are not evident.

• Some issues remain low profile due to:

  • Lack of knowledge.

  • Genetic determination.

  • Affecting the elderly.

  • Fear of the condition.

Identifying and Prioritizing Health Issues

• Factors:

  • Prevalence (and incidence): Widespread issues are prioritized to assist the most people.

  • Potential for Early Intervention and Prevention: Prioritized if early intervention can bring change.

  • Costs to the Individual and the Community: Higher costs increase priority.

  • Cost of Treatment: Cost-effectiveness is considered to maintain interventions.

  • Equity: Prioritize groups with poorer health outcomes.

  • Priority Population Groups: Social justice principles.

  • Diversity: Social justice principles.

  • Supportive Environments: Health priorities should be decided with social justice principles as the foundational base for decision making.