Determinants of Health

DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
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DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 2
Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
Geographical determinants of health:..............................................................................................3
Population characteristic:.................................................................................................................4
Natural environment and hazard factors:.........................................................................................5
Level of social and economic development:...................................................................................5
Political governance:.......................................................................................................................6
Biological and Environmental Determinants of Health:.................................................................7
Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health:..............................................................................8
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................9
References:......................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction:
There are many factors which generally affect the human health both in positive and negative
sense. At different stages of life health is governed by socioeconomic factors along with
geographical and population, biological and environmental influences. These factors always
denote whether the person is leading a healthy life or not. This kind of circumstances shows their
mental and physical status. The geographic area shows in which climate we do live and how the
climate of that area influences our everyday life. With the help of economic factor we can easily
assume the background of those people which may help us to understand whether the person is
leading healthy life or not. We cannot maintain our health without a shortage of penny. Thus
economic and financial status is the most important factor in such cases. Population also plays a
major part to understand the health condition.
Geographical determinants of health:
Health and geography are linked together very much. Our birth place, working area, study place
etc directly affect our health experiences like the air we take for breathing, the foods and
vegetables we take for our apatite and also several determinants and viruses present within
atmosphere 8. Delhi is the capital of India and one of the most developed urban areas in India. In
case of this selected geographic area Delhi, it is one of the most polluted cities not only in India
but throughout the world. The air quality index is gradually decreasing over last ten years. This
situation creates a huge negative impact on the life of those people who stays there. The climate

DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 4
of Delhi is very dry. In the time of monsoon the climate stays humid and semiarid, in the time of
summer and winter the climate become very dry and every condition goes to the extreme 15. This
will create huge negative impact on agriculture which will also not beneficial for the mankind.
People are often dying here due to sunstroke and dehydration in summer due to this geographical
climate condition. In winter people here is dying with cold, asthma and pneumonia also. Most of
the people here affected with lung cancer and various other lung diseases due to the air pollution.
Population characteristic:
According to the global population counting process the population of Delhi occupied second
highest position in the global ranking. This also have a huge impact on the health condition of
this existing population. Increasing population is one of the major causes behind the
malnutrition, unemployment3. Most of the people are here belongs to the below poverty level and
they stays in the slum area. In such area people are generally get affected various chronic
diseases like diarrhea, hepatitis, cholera and typhoid also. All of these mentioned diseases are
infected through water as they cannot afford purified water. This overpopulation condition
creates shortage of food which is the major cause of malnutrition. These conditions are generally
found in the children of this area. Most of the children here are affected with pneumonia,
gastritis, crohn’s disease. Most of all they get affected to any kind of infectious disease as they
have less immunity power inside their body. In case of overpopulation the people are mostly
affected with unemployment. For this reason people here cannot afford nutritious foods, health
care support, purified water, good quality education also. This kind of situation generally occurs
due to lack of education, religious bindings, superstitions and lack of family planning
knowledge.