The Relationship Between Health And Poor Health

A considerable amount of literature has been published about the relationship between social inequality, the social determinants of health and poor health outcomes. Research has also been done to assess how political economies as a tool can be used to address the dynamic of said relationship. Coburn (2010), noted that, “the implication of “a” political economy is that there are actually a variety of political economies”, which suggests that each type can produce different results and ultimately shape the social determinants of health and health outcomes differently. This can also an indication that the level of social inequality under the respective economies will differ as well. Coburn, also notes that, “political economy … focuses on the

Graham (2004) & Taylor (1996), posits that social determinants of health came out of a search for a certain mechanism that allowed people from unique socioeconomic backgrounds to experience varying degrees of health and illness (as cited by Raphael, 2010). This idea takes into consideration that one’s socioeconomic status affect one’s health and pervasiveness of diseases at varying levels. McMullin & Davies (2010), observes, people who have more money, with higher education, and have better jobs tend to live longer and do not get as sick as do those with lower incomes, lower education, and bad jobs Hence, the relationship between social inequality, social determinants of health and poor health outcomes. However, in addition to socioeconomic status, some other social determinants of health include: “social support networks, education, employment and working conditions, physical and social environments, biology and genetic endowment, personal health practices and coping skills, healthy child development, gender, culture, and health services”, (p. 147). They are circumstances in which people usually have no control; they are born in, grow with, live, work, and age with some of these

The greatest benefit comes from how a political economy analyses power, influence, and political ideology to shape public policy-making. (Bryant 2015, Coburn 2010, and Raphael 2010,2015) agree that, social democratic welfare states (e.g., Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) have the most ideal political economy, as they are least stratified and enjoy more government funded social aid programs, hence, less prevalence of social inequality. Therefore, the recipe for achieving a society with low social inequality and improved conditions for SODH; involves a change in the political economy, which requires governments addressing social and or public policies. In providing more social for its people, will in turn improve health outcomes and result in