This document discusses measuring health and the social determinants of health. It defines social determinants of health as the conditions where people are born, live, work and age that are shaped by economic, social and political systems. These social determinants have the greatest impact on health and health inequities. The WHO argues that unequal distribution of power, money and resources globally and nationally are the underlying social causes of poor health and health inequities. Measuring social determinants of health and vulnerable groups is important for understanding health status and needs.

1. Measuring Health
Dealing with Data
STATISTICS (MEDICAL)
HEALTH DETERMINANTS/INDICATORS
MEASURING HEALTH

2. The overall aim
Review the tools available and skills required in order to enable critical
analysis of health needs.
How do we determine health status
How do we determine health determinants?
As well as critically examine the tools and resources available to ensure
reliability and validity of this process.
While measuring the health of vulnerable groups

3. Determinants of Health
“the conditions in which the individual is born, both external and internal in
order to grow, work, live, and age, that are influenced by a wider set of
forces and systems in terms of physical and mental processes that shape the
conditions of their daily life.”
http://www.afternow.co.uk/sites/default/files/The%20Determinants%20Of
%20Health_0.pdf
The Job of the Collective! (Gov. NHS, Dept.)
or Role of the Individual! (Nurse, Doctor etc.)

4. Social Determinants of Health
The social determinants of health (SDH) are the conditions in which
people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces
and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.
These forces and systems include economic policies and systems,
development agendas, social norms, social policies and political
systems.
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/sdh_definition/en/

5. Why bother with Social
Determinants?
Social determinants of health have a direct impact on health
Social determinants predict the greatest proportion of health status
variance (health inequity)
Social determinants of health structure health behaviours
Social determinants of health interact with each other to produce
health

6. Evidence WHO
"The poor health of the poor, the social gradient in health within
countries, and the marked health inequities between countries are
caused by the unequal distribution of power, income, goods, and
services, globally and nationally, the consequent unfairness in the
immediate, visible circumstances of peoples lives – their access to
health care, schools, and education, their conditions of work and
leisure, their homes, communities, towns, or cities – and their chances
of leading a flourishing life. This unequal distribution of health-
damaging experiences is not in any sense a ‘natural’
phenomenon….Together, the structural determinants and conditions of
daily life constitute the social determinants of health." (WHO
Commission on Social Determinants of Health, 2008)

7. Vulnerable Groups
Examples of Vulnerable Groups
Review your patient in your scenario
Are they vulnerable?
What makes you say this?
What health risks is your patient exposed to in the context of the social
determinants.
List Health Indicators that can help you measure Health and well being

8. Resources
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/98438/e81384.
pdf
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/sdh_definition/en/
http://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census

9. Keeping People Healthy
Measuring Health Community Health Profiles
Scenarios