Social Determinants of Health

Running head: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
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1SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Burden of heart diseases.............................................................................................................3
 Incidence.........................................................................................................................3
 Mortality..........................................................................................................................3
Social determinant of health for heart diseases..........................................................................4
Public health interventions.........................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9

2SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Introduction
Vascular, stroke and heart diseases are the conditions, which effect the blood vessels
or heart. The above heart disorders are assembled in the comprehensive word of
cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiovascular disease includes some serious health issues
such as heart failure, stroke and coronary heart disease (aihw.gov.au, 2019). In Australia,
cardiovascular disease is considered as the chief health issue with approximately 4.2 million
people affected with CVD in the year 2014-15. Heart disease in Australia is more prevalent
among males as compared to indigenous people, people living in remote areas, elder
population and socio-economic areas. The social determinants of health (SDH) are majorly
effecting the people in Australia by increasing the mortality rate of heart diseases (Embrett &
Randall, 2014). Social determinants of health includes social norms, political system,
economic policy and system, social policies and development agendas. Social determinants
can weaken or strengthen the well-being of communities and individuals. According to
WHO, the societal surroundings in which an individual is born, work and live is the supreme
significant determinant of bad health or well-being (who.int, 2019).

3SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Burden of heart diseases
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major heath issue suffered by the population of
Australia and a major reason of death. This disease kills at least one individual in every 12
minutes in Australia (Sahle et al., 2016). More than 18,590 Australians died due to heart
diseases in the year 2017. In 2009, more than half of the population who died due to CVD
were men. In United Nations, the prevalence of death due to heart disease is more common in
male than in female (Nichols et al., 2016).
 Incidence
Heart disease is considered as the single prominent reason of death among Australian
population effecting large number of men population. More than 18,590 people died in 2017,
due to heart diseases in Australia and almost 3% of the Australian population claim to be
suffering from long-term heart problems in 2014-15 (Hri.org.au, 2019). The rate of heart
diseases is twice more common in men than in women with more incidence of male death in
Australia. In 2014-15, more than 18.3% of Australian (4.2 million people) died due to
circulatory system malfunction with 1.2 million people died were included under heart
diseases (Purcell, Mclnnes & Halcomb, 2014)
 Mortality
The mortality rate due to heart diseases is higher in Australia with approximately
19,000 people died in 2017 due to heart disease. Herat disease is considered as the leading
reason of death in Australia. More than 13% of Australian men died due to heart diseases,
which is estimated as the highest death among any population (Foundation, 2019).
Approximately 51 people die due to heart diseases in Australia each day even after 22%
decrease in mortality rate from past years effecting more men population as compared to
women (Huxley et al., 2014).