Individual Project- Risk Factors and Social Determinants of Health that Impact My Community

Individual Project- Risk Factors and Social Determinants of Health that Impact My Community

Preserving the health of communities remains a priority for governments and healthcare administrators. As the pursuit for healthier communities intensifies, communities are implored to step up efforts towards promoting and preserving their health. Social determinants of health are conditions that influence the health of individuals within their communities. This paper analyzes the health risk factors and social determinants impacting the vast Washington community.

Several risk factors are known to influence health outcomes within Washington, D.C. Physical inactivity, alcohol use, tobacco use, and diet are some of the risk factors that impact the health of Washington residents (Mazzucca et al., 2021). Washington’s infrastructural system encourages physical exercise. With a walkability index of 98% and an abundance of green spaces and sidewalks, most residents have the luxury of exercising. Like other urban settings in the U.S., Washington, DC, faces high rates of alcohol and smoking. Alcohol use and smoking have also been implicated in several illnesses. Washington is not left behind, with an adult smoking rate of 14.6%. However, efforts by the state’s administration and other health agencies to reduce the health impacts of smoking and heavy alcohol consumption have helped minimize their health impacts.

Social determinants of health in the vast Washington area include access to education and healthcare, income, housing, employment, and transportation. Washington is a predominantly urban area that suffers from traditional problems of income inequality and low income. As per Adjei-Fremah et al. (2022), modest living in the state requires 124,000 dollars in income. This is over 30,000 more than the average earning of residents of the state. White residents are up to 81 times wealthier than other ethnicities within the state. The educational level in Washington is relatively high. This is attributable to the enhanced access to education in the state. Over 90% of residents in the state aged 25 and above are high school graduates. The state has also experienced a 79% increase in residents with bachelor’s degrees. This points to the high literacy level in the state. Housing has traditionally been an issue in many urban areas in the U.S. The state has not been left behind in this. Housing affordability remains a concern in the state. The number of homeless residents has been on the rise. Currently, there are over 4000 residents experiencing homelessness. Employment is another social determinant of health apparent in the state. The employment rate in the state stands at 2.9%. While this is relatively low compared to other areas, unemployed residents continue to experience problems associated with unemployment, such as the inability to afford basic care and lack of insurance coverage. Addressing these factors may considerably improve the health of the impacted residents.

The most prevalent health conditions in the vast Washington DC community are heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. These diseases account for over 50% of reported mortalities within the state. Heart disease is the leading cause of death, followed by cancer.

Social determinants of health, health disparities, and health inequities differ. Social determinants of health are non-medical factors that influence individuals’ health and health outcomes within their communities. They include neighborhoods, access to education and healthcare, physical environment, and socioeconomic status. Health disparities are preventable variations in the burden of opportunities to attain optimal health, disease, violence, and injury. Health inequities are defined as differences in the health or the spread of healthcare resources between various groups or populations.

Washington, like other regions in the U.S., experiences traditional problems of health disparities and health inequities. Minority groups living in Washington, DC, are disproportionately affected by health disparities such as poor access to healthcare, the burden of disease, and violence. The recent COVID pandemic unearthed the extent of such disparities within the state. SHEEHAN & GEYN (2022) report that black residents accounted for over 74% of lives lost to COVID-19. Notwithstanding, a high proportion of ethnic minority groups living in Washington are also uninsured. Additionally, they are affected by problems such as high crime and violence rates. This reveals how widespread health disparity is in the state.

Health inequity also continues to be apparent in Washington, DC. These inequities mainly border on gender, race, income, and geography. Black residents are twice as likely to develop chronic disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, low-income earners are disproportionately affected by a high burden of disease and are accustomed to poor access to healthcare among members of the groups. Geographical location also disfavors some residents of the state. Residents of Ward 8, for instance, are up to four times more likely to develop diabetes (SHEEHAN & GEYN, 2022). This reveals how widespread health inequity is in the state.

Several interventions can be implemented to better the health of residents of the vast Washington DC area. Addressing risk factors for various illnesses is a priority intervention. This can be attained by intensifying community awareness programs on the modifiable risk factors for various illnesses. Addressing health disparities, the social determinants of health, and health inequities may also be valuable. Expanding healthcare and educational infrastructure and resources to low-income communities may enhance low-income residents’ education level and health status. Through their policy-making roles, healthcare providers can also engage other stakeholders in the healthcare sector to establish policies that enhance residents’ knowledge of chronic illnesses and preventive measures against these illnesses. Conclusively, preserving the health of communities remains important. This can be attained by addressing the social determinants of health, health inequities, and disparities. Implementing these interventions in Washington may better the health of all residents in the state.

References

Adjei-Fremah, S., Lara, N., Anwar, A., Garcia, D. C., Hemaktiathar, S. P., Ifebirinachi, C. B., Anwar, M., Lin, F.-C., & Samuel, R. (2022). The effects of race/ethnicity, age, and area deprivation index (ADI) on COVID-19 Disease Early Dynamics: Washington, D.C. case study. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 10(2), 491–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01238-1

Mazzucca, S., Arredondo, E. M., Hoelscher, D. M., Haire-Joshu, D., Tabak, R. G., Kumanyika, S. K., & Brownson, R. C. (2021). Expanding implementation research to prevent chronic diseases in community settings. Annual Review of Public Health, 42(1), 135–158. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090419-102547

SHEEHAN, & GEYN. (2022, August 2). Inequalities in health care need and demand across the district – D.C. policy center. D.C. Policy Center – Advancing policies for a strong and vibrant economy in the District of Columbia. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/inequalities-health-care-need-demand/

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In your discussion this week, you examined a few Web sites from which you can make inferences about the health status of your community. This week, you will write a brief report on the risk factors and social determinants of health that impact your community. In your report, answer the following:

What are the risk factors that promote health conditions in your community?
What are the social determinants of health in your community?
Which diseases or health conditions are most prevalent in your community?
What is the difference between social determinants of health, health disparities, and health inequities?
What are the health disparities and inequities that you have observed in your community?
What recommendations might you make to the decision-makers or policymakers in your community to address these?
Please submit your assignment.