Social Health Determinants of Cardiovascular Diseases in Rural and Remote Australia

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Introduction:
According to the World Health Organization (2019), the social health determinants can
be defined as the condition where community members sustain themselves. The social health
determinants or SOD are primarily responsible for existing health inequalities observed between
population groups within a country or population groups of belonging to different nations (World
Health Organization, 2019). This paper intends to analyze the social health determinants
responsible for the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among the rural and remote
population base of Australia and propose an intervention that can help acquire improved
outcome.
Section 1: Social determinants of Heart disease for rural/remote Australians:
Health related disorders such as cardiovascular disorders are impacted by a range of
social health disorders such as economic disadvantage, lack of education, lack of access to
healthcare facilities as well as differences in terms of socioeconomic status that include
demographic parameters such as ethnicity, race and sex. Research studies suggest that the burden
of cardiovascular or heart disorders are common within the rural and remote population base of
Australian on account of poor medical infrastructure and health inequality which is characterized
both by means of lack of education and awareness as well as socio-economic disparity (Sahle et
al., 2016; Hamilton et al., 2018). In addition to this, disparities in terms of discrimination as well
as barriers in the form of culturally inappropriate care services and linguistic differences have
also reduced access to healthcare services and have increased the disease burden pertaining to
cardiovascular or heart disorders (Sahle et al., 2016). Research studies further reveal that
additional environmental factors that impact the cardiovascular health of the people include poor

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social relationships, demerit of living within disadvantaged neighborhoods, work stress as well
as poor income status (Cockerham, Hamby & Oates, 2017). All these factors have been studied
to negatively impact the health outcome of the percentage of the Australians residing with the
rural and remote regions of Australia (Taylor et al., 2016).
Burden of heart disease in the chosen population:
As per the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019), it has been mentioned that
more than 4 out of 5 hospitalizations occur on account of cardiovascular disorders Within
Australia. In addition to this, statistical reports also suggest that Indigenous Australians residing
with the rural and remote regions of Australia experienced double the time of hospitalizations
compared to non-indigenous Australians. Also, reports published in the year 2017, suggest that
1 out of 4 deaths occurred on account of cardiovascular disorders and heart disorders which
attributes to 14% of the total deaths that occur within Australia (Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare, 2019). It is worth noting in this context that between the year 2017 to 2018, the
percentage of self-reported data on stroke and associated cardiovascular disorders was higher
among the rural and remote Australian regions. Evidence reports suggests that 6.4% Australians
living within rural and remote regions of Australia were likely to present self-reported data of
cardiovascular disorders against 4.8% of Australians living with other regions of Australia
(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019). In addition to this, the prevalence of Acute
Rheumatoid Fever is higher among Indigenous Australians and 60% of the cases are diagnosed
in individuals who are aged 25 years and below (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,
2019). It should also be noted here that Indigenous Australians were placed at 2.8 times higher
the risk of suffering from Coronary Heart Disease compared to non-indigenous Australians
(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019).