The Social Determinants of Mental Health (original) (raw)
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Social determinants of mental health
International Review of Psychiatry, 2014
, who generously contributed their wisdom. JoAnne Epping-Jordan (Seattle, USA) served as editorial manager of the overall series of thematic papers. All thematic papers were produced under the overall guidance of the Gulbenkian Global Mental Health Platform's Advisory and Steering Committees (below).
Editors’ Comments on the Special Issue “Social Determinants of Mental Health”
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Mental disorders are one of the greatest public health concerns of our time, and they are affected by social factors. To reduce the considerable burden of mental disorders, more global and systematic knowledge of the social determinants of mental health is necessary. This paper presents the results of the 27 studies included in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Special Issue, “Social Determinants of Mental Health”. The studies are grouped into four broad categories: social inclusion and mental health, young people’s mental health, mental health at work, and mental health service users. The results cover different countries, age populations, settings, and methodologies. Finally, the main findings on the relationship between social determinants and mental health are presented and summarized.
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2022
Background: Many health research policies invoke the construct of Social Determinants of Health, and more recently the construct of Social Determinants of Mental Health. While frequently referred to in the literature, it is unclear how these constructs relate to each other. Some commentators conceptualise the Determinants of Mental Health as a subgroup of the Determinants of general Health and others describe the Determinants of Mental Health as an autonomous construct. The current review investigates the relationship between both constructs. Methods: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted for both constructs separately within seven electronic databases. A template analysis was conducted to compare the conceptualisations of the Social Determinants of Health and the Social Determinants of Mental Health. Results: Of 4250 search results, 50 papers (25 for each construct) fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were incorporated into a narrative synthesis. Discussions of the Social Determinants of both general and Mental Health listed the same determinants. Both constructs were conceptualised on multiple levels and factors. Stress and health behaviour were also described as mediators for both constructs. The constructs differed, however, with respect to two components of their aetiologies and epistemologies. First, the causal mechanisms invoked for the Determinants of general Health followed predominantly direct pathways, in contrast to indirect pathways for the Social Determinants of Mental Health. Second, the Social Determinants of Mental Health were reported to influence mental health mediated through individuals' perceptions and appraisal processes. Appraisal processes were considered of far less relevance in the construct of Social Determinants of Health. Conclusion: The constructs of Social Determinants of Health and Social Determinants of Mental Health align in many respects but differ on important aetiological and
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2020
During the past 15–20 years the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) framework has become the main approach to understand health inequalities. With this model a range of factors important for health and inequalities in health over the life-course have been connected into a larger framework. Despite its usefulness and popularity within the field, and wide use in influential reviews, the SDoH framework has not been easy to communicate to stakeholders in other sectors, and we cannot as yet see much of substantial societal change as a result of it. In this Commentary I try to discuss possible reasons behind our difficulties to communicate the SDoH perspective. Some of these reasons relate to how we frame and present the different parts of the framework, others are more linked to common beliefs and practices that I think we should rethink. In both cases, I believe that we would benefit from a more general discussion around these fundamental issues, both in order to communicate our import...
Social determinants of health: a view on theory and measurement
Rhode Island medical journal, 2013
The theory and measurement of the social determinants of health featured in a three-part seminar series on Social Determinants of Health, Law and Policy held at the Taubman Center for Public Policy, Brown University in February 2012. The seminar series represents a broader commitment to engage the public, health providers, researchers, and policy makers in dialogue for the purposes of identifying and addressing social determinants of health at community and state levels. This article summarizes and expands upon the first part of the series by defining social determinants of health and exploring methodological debates over their measurement, with a focus on income inequality, racism and discrimination, housing security, and food security. The authors of this article and the members of the seminar series represent the kind of interdisciplinary and applied work necessary for addressing the five key areas of social determinants of health identified in Healthy People 2020: economic stabi...
The Social Determinants of Health: Time to Re-Think?
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Twelve years have now passed since the influential WHO Report on the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in 2008. A group of senior international public health scholars and decision-makers met in Italy in mid-2019 to review the legacy of the SDoH conceptual framework and its adequacy for the many challenges facing our field as we enter the 2020s. Four major categories of challenges were identified: emerging “exogenous” challenges to global health equity, challenges related to weak policy and practice implementation, more fundamental challenges related to SDoH theory and research, and broader issues around modern research in general. Each of these categories is discussed, and potential solutions offered. We conclude that although the SDoH framework is still a worthy core platform for public health research, policy, and practice, the time is ripe for significant evolution.
The Community Impact of Social Determinants of Health
MOJ Public Health, 2016
The health status of a community is largely determined by a selection of variables influencing the level of quality of life referred to as the social determinants of health. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 20/20 categorized these variables pertaining to economic and social conditions into five major areas of influence which are: i. Education, ii. Economic Stability, iii. Neighborhood and Build Environment, iv. Social and Community Context and v. ealth and Health Care [1]. A total of 35 introductory biology students at Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) filled out a public health assessment survey entitled "The Community Impact of Social Determinants of Health" inquiring if they believed whether the mentioned variables relatable to economic and social conditions demonstrated a direct relationship to the health status of a community. Data revealed that the majority of the surveyed WCCCD students comprised of both science as well as non-science majors believed that the compound effects of the social determinants of health greatly influenced the quality of life seen within a community. Their beliefs were compatible with data of previous studies pertaining to this population health matter of concern.
What is the Outlook for Addressing Social Determinants of Health?
JAMA Health Forum, 2021
In a remarkably short period, attention to social determinants of health-nonmedical factors influencing health, such as housing, adequate nutrition, 1 and transportation-has become a central feature of efforts to improve health and health equity. In just the last 10 years, the term's annual frequency in journal articles has increased 7-fold. More recently, COVID-19 has underscored the link between social factors and inequities in health care. It is now common to have screening questions about social conditions during patient intake and for referrals to be made. 2 And there are calls for Z codes identifying social needs to be used more extensively in the health system to improve care. However, despite this growing focus on social determinants, the health care system is far from able to effectively address these influencers of health. There has been progress, but several challenges require attention.