Socioeconomic determinants

• Socioeconomic: has a significant influence on the likelihood that they will be exposed to health risk factors, with increases in a person’s income, education and employment tending to be accompanied by improvement in their health.

  • They are so closely related that people often get stuck in a loop of good or poor health
• • Education

  1. Positive

  • Enhances people’s knowledge and skills about health/protective behaviours e.g. risks of alcohol and smoking, increases empowerment and access to health services
  • Stable employment, steady income, safe and secure housing, provide for families, informed decisions
• • Employment

  1. Positive

  • Provides opportunities to be active
  • Develop a positive sense of identity
  • Interact with others
  • Financial security

  1. Negative

  • Unemployment linked to stress, loss of confidence, limited social contact and feelings of depression
  • Unemployment - higher mortality rates
  • Some may have more risks such as outdoor jobs - high risk of injury and cancer, mining has a higher risk of cancer
  • Office workers - more high stress or sedentary lifestyles
• • Income: the amount of money received from work

  1. Positive

  • more money available to spend on products and services 
  • Sporting and recreational activities
  • Better quality food
  • Private health insurance

  1. Negative

  • Low income correlates with more exposure to risk behaviours, restricting access to health services
  • Less safe / secure, high population density, fewer transport and recreational facilities, less support services