Comprehensive Analysis of Factors Contributing to Ill Health

This essay delves into the multifaceted factors that contribute to ill health, encompassing psychobiological, social, and individual determinants. It begins by exploring psychobiological factors, highlighting the impact of stress and biological changes, such as hormonal shifts during pregnancy, on health conditions like asthma and diabetes. The essay then examines social factors, including the influence of education, socioeconomic status, neighborhood conditions, and exposure to crime and violence. It emphasizes how these factors can affect both mental and physical health. Finally, the essay addresses individual differences, such as behavioral activities like substance use, dietary habits, and screen time, and their implications for health. The integration of these perspectives underscores the interconnectedness of biological, psychological, and social influences on overall health and well-being.

Running head: FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ILL HEALTH
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ILL HEALTH
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Introduction:
The ill-health determines a bad or poor health condition. According to the dictionary
meaning, ill-health refers to the poor condition of health caused by a certain disease. It also
denotes impaired functions of a certain part of the body. However, ill-health dies not to
determine serious or chronic health conditions. For example, if some is suffering from high fever
or pain in any part of the body. Fatigue or extreme stress and poor health because of the same
can also be considered poor health. However, it certainly does not refer to chronic diseases like
kidney failure, arthritis, or heart diseases.
Therefore, in the following essay, the different factors that contribute to the poor
conditioning of health will be discussed and analyzed. According to the researchers, there are
certain social and psychological reasons and factors that contribute to the poor health
conditioning of the individuals. More importantly, these socio-psychological factors affect
different people differently. That is, the degree or the intensity of the factors resulting in ill
health are different. Therefore, the following essay will aim at understanding the contributions of
these different factors in the poor health conditioning of the people.
Psychobiological Factors:
The biological factors of the biological aspects of a person affect the health conditioning
of the same. The biological conditioning of human beings is very sensitive. The changes at the
biological health of the individuals are likely to impact upon their health conditions. The
biological factors include hormones, the growth factors, the extracellular matrix, the modules of
the cell surface, nucleic acids and the like all contribute to the poor health conditionings of the
people. The researchers have stated that changes in these factors, influence the behavioural

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aspects of individuals. At the same time, it affects the health conditionings of the same. The
researchers have opined that the diseases like heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis,
cancers all are the results of the ill health or the poor conditions of health, and they have further
opined that the reluctant of individuals to look after the poor health conditionings at the primary
level result into the chronic diseases like cancer or heart diseases.
However, the researchers have also opined that the biological factors are also aggravated
by certain psychological factors, resulting in ill health. Braveman & Gottileb, (2014) has stated
that the present lifestyle of the human race is exposed to factors of stress. According to the
researchers, the current lifestyle of the human race is such that they have to face stressful
situations and the factors of stress every day, and it is effectively affecting our health. The
researchers have opined that in most of the cases, the ill-health conditions are unavoidable. This
is essentially because of, some of the stress factors are unavoidable as well, as they are expected.
Therefore, these continuous stress factors result in certain diseases which care fixable (Ardern et
al., 2013). For example, intensified stress causes asthma. With proper management of the stress
factors, the conditions of asthma can be treated.
Thus, the factors of stress result in a poor health conditioning of the people. It is
especially true or common in times of pregnancy. It is very much likely that people will get
stressed during their times of pregnancy, and at the same time, such a factor of stress is
completely unavoidable. Therefore, during times of pregnancy, many of the would-be mothers
become an asthma patient. However, with time, and after the birth of the baby, the factors of
stress are dealt away with. Therefore it is likely that after the pregnancy, the problems of asthma
is also mitigated (Sallis, Owen, & Fisher, 2015). Therefore, this is a perfect example of
psychobiological factor or the contributor to ill health. There are several changes during the

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times of pregnancy, and the hormonal changes in the body and the fact that one is pregnant make
the would-be mothers, extremely stressed out.
Further this factor of stress results in asthma among mothers. At the same time, the
factors of stress also result in diabetes or problems of the thyroid among pregnant women. It is
often seen that increased stress leads towards reduced glucose levels, thus resulting in type 2
diabetes. Also, the changes in the hormonal secretions result in either hypo or hyperthyroid
problems. However, both of these factors or issues are regarded as ill-health or poor health
conditions (Short, & Mollborn, 2015). However, both of these factors can be fixed and therefore,
instead of being considered to be chronic health issues, they are regarded to be poor conditions
of health.
Although, in certain situations, it is observed that the continuation of the stress factors
over a longer period, may lead to chronic diseases, like chronic diabetes or the diabetes mellitus,
or in certain cases the continuation of the factors of stress result into acute asthma among the
mothers.
Social Factors:
According to recent research done by the World Health Organization or WHO, it is found
that certain social factors or the physical environmental conditions also lead to the ill health or
poor conditionings of health. According to the report, several social or sociological factors
directly affect the health of the individuals. According to the report, the optimal health acre
activities must include and approach the environmental and social factors as well. Another recent
endeavour or health care program conducted by the Department of Nursing of the country
developed certain determinants of health disparities. Firstly, the research had indicated that the

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educational attributes of the individuals affect the health of the same. The researchers had found
that not being able to go to a famous or popular school affects the mental health of the
individuals which therefore impact upon the physical health of the same (Colligan, Pennebaker,
& Murphy, 2013). The quality of education that one receives impacts upon the physical and the
mental health of the individuals. The researchers have shown that the people receiving a poor or
medium quality of education are more likely to develop an unconfident behaviour once coming
across people, belonging to popular schools or having received good quality of education
(Iglesias-Rey et al., 2014). Education also determines a social position. Having affiliated to a
popular school or to having received good quality of education enables a person to develop more
social cohesion and create more social groups. It makes an individual popular as well. Certain
sociological factors also impact upon the health of the individuals, affiliation to more number of
social groups determine fewer stress factors and lesser probability to become unconfident or
developing an inferiority complex. And all these factors lead towards ill health as they take a toll
on the mental health and therefore, upon the physical health (Rogers, & Pilgrim, 2014).
However, since these factors are fixable, therefore, they do not lead to a chronic health problem.
The research has further highlighted another social factor or social determinant of poor
health condition, and it is the socio-economic status of the individuals. The socio-economic
position of human beings also contributes to poor health conditions. It is found that the people
belonging to a lower- middle- class family or a low- income family are more likely to develop
poor health conditions, and since they lack enough money to get proper treatments, therefore, it
is observed that the people belonging to lower strata are more likely to get affected health-wise
(Macintyre, 2018). They are more likely to catch a cold or to suffer from other minor health
diseases. The food habits is another contributor to poor health conditions, which is associated

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with socio-economic status. Since the people belonging to the lower class or the middle class or
lower-middle-class cannot afford good food or good quality food, therefore, it is observed that
they are more likely to get affected by mere physical conditions. Viral fever is very common
among them since they have a very low immunity structure. People belonging to the higher class
can easily afford better food and are, therefore, less likely to get affected by the nominal changes
in the physical environment (Berkman, Kawachi, & Glymour, 2014). A good food habit ensures
a strong immunity system among the people. Another important factor is that the individuals
belonging to the higher strata of society can also afford good medical treatments, which is
another important factor in maintaining a good health condition. It is often seen that since the
people belonging to the lower strata cannot afford good medical conditions or treatment;
therefore, they are more likely to suffer from a poor health condition over some time. Because of
a lack in the treatment procedures, it is seen that the individuals never really get proper
treatment, and therefore they are likely to suffer from a poor health condition over some time.
Another significant factor contributing to the poor health conditions is the neighbourhood
or the housing conditions. It is often seen that the neighbourhood where one is staying is very
dirty and the neighbourhood is not provided with the basic city services. Such social factor
directly affects the health of the individuals living in the neighbourhood area. Also, the structural
factors of the housing complex, the pest control system available in the neighbourhood, directly
affect the health of the individuals living in there (Weiss, & Lonnquist, 2017). The widespread
activities of crime and violence are some other contributing factors to the physical and the
mental health of the individuals.
As per the researchers, these factors usually create temporary impacts on the health of the
individuals. However, a continuous practice of these factors might lead to chronic health disease

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as well. For example, a bad neighbourhood condition can essentially result in food poisoning, but
a continuous situation can lead to a serious ailment like Hepatitis B.
Individual Differences:
Certain individual factors are contributing to poor health conditions, as well. The
individuals often get involved in certain behavioural activities which directly lead to the poor
health of the people. For example, many of the individuals are involved into the consumption of
alcohol or tobacco use, or regressive physical activities and diet, r may be certain sexual
practices or may even be spending a longer period of the day in front of the screens. All these are
regarded as behavioural issues or individual differences in unhealthy activities. According to the
researchers, all these behaviours or practices lead to poor health conditions (Taylor, 2017).
However, a question may arise how extreme physical behaviour or dietary activities can be
harmful to health. But the researches claim that the if an individual does not take proper medical
actions or precautions or do not intake proper amount of food upon involving into extreme
physical activities, or od not intake good quality of food upon being involved into a dietary
behaviour they it is likely that the individuals will be experiencing a poor condition of health
(Shim, & Rust, 2013). Again, the researchers believe that a continuous situation of similar
behaviour is likely to lead to chronic disease. Especially, the use or consumption of tobacco and
alcohol potentially affect the health of the individuals.
Integration of the Perspectives:
Now, it is important to note that all these activities are in some way interrelated. For
example, it has already been mentioned that the psychological and the biological factors are, to
some extent, interrelated. Hence they were clubbed and therefore explained under the

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psychobiological factors of health issues. It has been mentioned that psychological change
effectively impacts the biological aspects of human beings. The extreme stress that the
individuals are faced with potential impacts upon the biological health of the individuals, it is
observed that the increasing factors of stress potentially affects the biological health of the
individuals (Pillas et al., 2014). At the same time, it is observed that certain social or sociological
factors also contribute to the biological health of individuals. According to the research
developed by WHO, the disparity in the quality of the education causes inconfidence among the
people. This further leads to stress and anxiety among the people, which, then leads to biological
impacts of the individuals. Next, the socio-economic disparity in the society, the class disparity
and the concept of strata, which are the contributors to the social disparities and social
inequalities, all possess the characters of stress and anxiety. The social disparities and the
unequal situations pertaining and being practised within the society are all regarded to be the
stressors (Cohn, 2014). All these factors contribute to the development of stress and anxiety
among the individuals, thus developing certain psychological impacts upon the human race. And
these psychological factors gradually lead towards or result in biological implications on the
human body. The socio-economic conditioning of human beings is the major stressors, as
claimed by the researchers. The researchers have claimed that social inequality and the less or no
affinity to the social groups are the prime reasons for depression among individuals. Being
depressed is the chronic behaviour of being stressed. The researchers have claimed that when an
individual is facing stressed situations over a longer period, that person is more likely to become
depressed. However, there are also stages in depression (Hill, Nielsen, & Fox, 2013). But
depression affects the physical health of an individual as well, along with affecting the mental
health of the same. Depression or stress is likely to pave the way for diabetes, obesity, and other

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behavioural diseases. It creates among the people anxiety behaviours, and in certain cases, it
paves the way towards obsessive-compulsive disorders. Therefore, it can be seen that the
sociological or social factors are integrally related to the psychological and the biological factors
of health issues.
Lastly, it can be claimed that the individual differences or the behavioural activities of the
individuals are associated with the social and the psychological factors of health issues. It is seen
that the behaviour of consumption of tobacco or consumption of tobacco or consumption of
alcohol is all direct outcome of the excessive stress (MacKillop, 2013). It is common among the
individual that they ten to manage the stress situations by involving themselves into the activities
of consuming alcohol or involving into the smoking behaviours. These factors, therefore,
potentially affect the biological health of the individuals.
Conclusion:
The above discussion highlights the impacts of social, psychological and biological and
the individual factors that contribute to the ill health or the poor conditions of health of the
individuals. The above discussion has also propounded upon the fact that all these factors are
integrally related and interdependent. Each of these factors influences the other and therefore
worsen the health condition. The discussion and the research materials all have highlighted that
the social factors and the psychological factors are interrelated and influence the biological
factors and therefore, affect the health conditions. More importantly, the individual factors are
also influenced by, and further influence these three other factors.

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