Social Determinants of Health: Poverty's Impact on Australian Families

This report examines the social determinants of health, focusing on the impact of poverty on families living below the poverty line in Australia. It explores how poverty leads to various health issues, including malnutrition due to lack of access to nutritious foods, and increased prevalence of obesity. It also highlights the challenges in accessing quality healthcare, leading to preventable deaths and disease progression. Furthermore, the report discusses the impact of poverty on mental health, leading to stress, substance abuse, and mental disorders. The report also analyzes the effects of poor housing and overcrowded living conditions on the health of these families. The report concludes by proposing potential solutions to mitigate these negative impacts, emphasizing the need for poverty reduction strategies and empowerment through knowledge and resources. The report is based on extensive research and analysis of the literature, providing a comprehensive overview of the complex relationship between poverty and health outcomes in the Australian context.

Running head: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 1
Social Determinants of Health
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 2
Introduction
Poverty among the families living below the poverty line in Australia has a significant
effect on their health. This is because lack of enough income makes it difficult for them to access
quality and nutritious foods and hence predisposing them to conditions such as obesity and
malnutrition. Secondly, the lack of enough income makes it hard for them to access quality
healthcare services. This is because they lack enough income to pay for healthcare services. They
also lack enough income to pay for transportation services to the healthcare facilities. As a result,
there is increased morbidity and mortality issues among these people. Thirdly poverty forces
these families to live in poor houses which predisposes them to severe health effects such as
respiratory illnesses. Lastly, poverty leads to a rise in the prevalence of mental health disorders
due to stress associated with poverty. As a result, the families living below the poverty line
engage in massive drug and substance abuse.
Definition of Social Determinants of Health
The social determinants of health refers to the circumstances in which individuals are
born and live that influence their health. These conditions are determined by the availability and
distribution of income, resources, and power at the global, national and local levels. Social
determinants of health are the leading causes of health disparities among populations. They are
also the main cause of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, depression and heart
diseases (About social determinants of health, 2017). They include socioeconomic, political and
cultural factors as well as accessibility of healthcare services, the presence of safe environmental
conditions, availability of quality and healthy foods as well as the presence of well-designed

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 3
neighborhoods (Determinants of Health, n.d.). The social determinant of health I have chosen is
Poverty, and the target population is the families living below the poverty line in Australia.
Impact of poverty among families living below the poverty line in Australia
Poverty refers to the condition where families and individuals lack basic needs.
According to the World Bank, poverty is simply lack of shelter, lack of adequate food and lack
of access to medical care and education (Poverty Overview, n.d.). In Australia, an estimated 3.05
million people that is 13.2% live below the poverty line including 739,000 children which
represent 17.3% of the population (Commonwealth Parliament, & Parliament House, 2013).
Poverty has a huge negative effect on the families living below the poverty line in
Australia (Hutchens, 2018). Poverty in Australia has led to a lack of access to quality and
nutritious foods among the families living below the poverty line. The families often lack enough
income to purchase fresh vegetables and fruits as well as other healthy foods that constitute a
healthy diet. Because of lack enough income, they also tend to be concerned about hunger as
opposed to healthy eating and hence they end up choosing foods that are filling while avoiding
those that are high in nutrients. As a result, they suffer from malnutrition and obesity cases
(Health and Nutrition in Australia, 2016).
Poor nutrition as a result of poverty has also negatively impacted on the girls who survive
and attain the reproductive ages. For instance, it has increased their risk of giving birth to bebies
with low birth weight who also have lesser chances of survival as compared to the normal birth
weight babies. Poor nutrition has also made the children from these families to have a low height
for age. Poor nutrition has also led to an increase in the number of children with stunted growth.
Due to poor nutrition, children under the age of five years from these families are more prevalent

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 4
to many diseases and hence increasing their risk of dying from infectious diseases such as
pneumonia and diarrhea. Poverty has also resulted in inadequate intake of healthy foods among
the children and hence leading to malnutrition. Malnutrition has also resulted in high mortality
rates among these children. This is attributed to the fact that poor nutrition makes children more
susceptible to infections (Health and Nutrition in Australia, 2016). When the immunity of a
malnourished child is impaired, the course of infection becomes more severe which leads to an
increase in the mortality. Poverty has also made childcare difficult as the parents are unable to
meet the needs of their children (Poverty- World Vision Australia, n.d.).
The families living below the poverty line in Australia also have a high prevalence of
obesity due to poor nutrition and poor health habits. According to the World Health
Organization, obesity is the accumulation of excessive amounts of fats in the body to the extent
of causing adverse health effects. It usually occurs a result of energy imbalance where the energy
intake through drinking and eating is higher than the energy utilized through physical activity. In
Australia, 61% of the women living below the poverty line are overweight or obese which
translates to 3 in 5 women. For men, the prevalence of obesity among the families living below
the poverty line is about 69% to 73%. The high prevalence of obesity among this population
group is attributed to poor nutrition. The families often lack enough income to purchase
nutritious and healthy foods and hence they consume foods that are unhealthy which then
increase their risk of obesity. They also lack enough space and facilities to engage in physical
activities which are attributed to overcrowding (Poverty, Health and Nutrition, n.d.).
The families living below the poverty line in Australia also lack adequate access to
healthcare services. This is because they lack enough income to afford healthcare services. This
is also attributed to the high and growing cost in healthcare in Australia. The population group

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 5
often lacks income for services such as medical tests, consultation, and medicine. They also lack
the income to afford transportation services to the healthcare facilities that are far from their
homes. As a result, they shy away from visiting the hospitals and hence leading to deaths that
would be prevented through timely treatment. Some also suffer disease progression living them
disabled or bedridden. Once someone from this family falls critically ill, they may be forced to
sell some of their property to cover for the medical expenses, become indebted to their
community and borrow loans at high-interest rates (World Health Organization, n.d.).
Poverty among the families living below the poverty line in Australia has also negatively
influenced their health as most of them lack education on essential health practices. For instance,
poor education has led to a lack of information on nutritious foods they should consume. As a
result, they end up eating unhealthy foods which increase their prevalence of malnutrition and
obesity. Secondly, the lack of education has made the families lack knowledge about the
importance of seeking healthcare services. As a result, they have failed to access healthcare
services leading to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Thirdly, lack of education has made
the families less knowledgeable on the importance of physical activity and hence increasing their
prevalence of obesity and other severe preventable health conditions. Lastly, the lack of
education has made the families less knowledgeable about the importance of sanitation and
hence leading to increased morbidity from preventable illnesses (Zajacova & Lawrence, 2018).
Poverty among the families living below the poverty line in Australia makes them live in
overcrowded areas which adversely affects their health. Overcrowding has led to a rise in the
spread of infectious disease, violence and psychological distress among this population. Firstly,
it has led to the spread of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. It has also led to the spread of
other infectious diseases due to poor hygiene. Secondly, it has led to an increase in psychological

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 6
distress leading to physical and verbal abuse as well as violence and hence affecting the health of
the people. Overcrowding has led to the rise in unsanitary conditions among the families living
below the poverty line, and thus it has led to increased outbreaks of typhoid, cholera,
tuberculosis and other severe diseases (Effects of Poverty on the Country - Poverty &
Homelessness, 2017).
The families living below the poverty line in Australia also suffer poor housing which has
a significant effect on their health. According to the World health organization, proper housing is
an essential component of healthy, productive and meaningful lives as well as a primary social
determinant of health and wellbeing. The quality of houses is a serious health concern as this is
where people spend most of their time. Research indicates that poor housing leads to a rise in
disability or ill health by an estimated 25% during both childhood and early adulthood. Bad
housing is also linked to a rise in mental health problems up to 3 to 4times. Depression and
anxiety cases also increase with the rise in the number of housing issues especially in women and
children (World Health Organization, n.d.).
The houses the families living below the poverty line in Australia live in are of poor
quality and have poor designs which pose serious health risks to the people by exposing them to
extreme cold and heat, mold and dampness, pest and insect infestations and toxic glues and
paints. They also have household heating and cooking systems which lead to the production of
smoke that increases respiratory and cardiovascular health risks as well as that of certain cancers
(Admin, 2017). Poor housing has led to the emergence and worsening of illnesses such as
cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, arthritis, and asthma. The children from these
families suffer from coughs, wheezing, fatigue, nervousness, gastrointestinal issues, and aches
pains. The increase in the level of dampness in the houses leads to the emergence of many

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 7
illnesses. Wet and cold conditions exacerbate circulatory diseases among these people which
then leads to heart attacks, strokes and respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis
(The links between housing and poverty, 2017).
The houses of the families living below the poverty line have poor ventilation which
leads to an increase in molds, fungi, and mites as a result of high humidity and dampness. The
presence of air pollutants in their area often triggers allergic reactions such as eczema,
conjunctivitis, wheeze, cough, and rhinitis. Repeated exposure to these pollutants had led to an
increase in asthma among these people. The severity of asthma among the people increases with
the increase in house dust mite, humidity and mold levels. Disrepair has led to an increase in the
coldness of the houses and a rise in the chances of injury among the people (Housing and health
risks, 2016).
The families living below the poverty line in Australia have a high prevalence of mental
health problems which is attributed to poverty. Research indicates that the prevalence of mental
disorders among the families living below the poverty line in Australia is twice that of high-
income families (Poverty In Australia. n.d.). It is also attributed to the fact that they lack
adequate access to mental health programs. Some of these people live with mental health
problems without their knowledge, and some fail to know how serious the issues they are
suffering from are. They are more prevalent to conditions such as anxiety/stress, depression and
PTSD. As a result, most of the people from these families engage in drug and substance abuse as
a coping mechanism (The surprising link between mental illness and poverty, n.d.).

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 8
How the negative impacts of poverty can be addressed to improve the health of the
families living below the poverty line in Australia.
The negative health impacts associated with poverty among the families living within the
poverty line can be addressed by reducing the poverty levels to help improve the health of the
people. For instance, poverty can be reduced by empowering people through knowledge and
education. Investing in an excellent educational system is an important step in ensuring that
people get a satisfying job that will address their needs. Empowering people can help eradicate
poverty by helping people become self-reliant from the skills they have been given. As a result,
they can get jobs that will generate income to help support themselves and their families
(Infrastructure, Poverty Reduction and Jobs, 2016)
Increasing the number of jobs and income generating activities among the people living
below the poverty line can help improve their health by improving access to quality and
nutritious foods. This will prevent them from cases of malnutrition, obesity, and other serious
health issues. Secondly increasing the jobs and income generating activities can help the people
have access to proper housing and hence reducing causes and exacerbation of diseases such as
asthma, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. Thirdly, it can help them have improved access to health
care services as they will have enough funds to buy medicine and pay for the hospital services.
They will also have enough income to pay for transportation services to the hospitals. As a result,
there will be reduced morbidity and mortality cases among the population group. Fourthly, it will
help reduce the rate of drug and substance abuse among the people as they will have jobs to keep
them busy. Their stress levels will also be reduced and hence helping they avoid drug and
substance abuse (Kalikoski & Fao, 2018).

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 9
Poverty can also be reduced through the implementation of policies that aim at reducing
poverty. For instance, policies that ensure that the families living below the poverty line are
given enough income to start businesses should be enacted. Policies that also reduce taxation of
the small scale businesses can help encourage more people to engage in business activities that
will help them have enough income to support their families. Policies that ensure that the people
are educated on running and managing businesses should also be introduced to ensure that the
businesses are sustainable (Poverty and Health, n.d.).
Improving the education system can help increase jobs as well as improving the health of
the people as there is a strong relationship between health and education. The more one is
educated, the more he or she will be able to make informed choices about his or her health.
Research indicates that disease morbidity and mortality is low among the educated as compared
to the less educated. The more educated people tend to be more informed about the causes of
poor health practices, and they avoid them. For instance, most of them purchase nutritious food,
access health care services as well as engage in physical activities to ensure that they have good
health. On the other hand, the less educated lack knowledge about how to live healthy lives and
tend to buy foods that are less nutritious and fail to engage in physical activities (Zajacova &
Lawrence, 2018). They also have poor health-seeking behavior due to lack of knowledge on the
importance of going for screening as well as early treatment of diseases. As a result, they do
suffer from adverse health effects as well as increased morbidity and mortality cases (Poverty
and Health, n.d.).
The nutrition of the families living below the poverty line in Australia can be improved
through nutrition education as well as improved agriculture. Nutrition education can help them
understand the important healthy foods and nutrients needed in the body. This will help them

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 10
make good food choices and hence improving their health. Agriculture can be improved through
training the people on important farming methods to ensure that they get higher yields. People
should also be trained on how to make and manage the community and school gardens. This will
help improve food production to help them get access to quality foods. The farmers should also
be given adequate space to help them practice both small and large scale farming. There should
also be the promotion of local agricultural projects to promote farming to help families have
access to fresh and healthy foods (Increasing food security through agriculture and nutrition,
2016).
Improving access to healthcare can help improve the health of the families living below
the poverty line in Australia by promoting health, preventing and managing an illness,
preventing the occurrence of premature deaths and unnecessary disability and ensuring equity in
healthcare among the people. The main components of access to care include timeliness of
healthcare, obtaining a necessary prescription of drugs, Insurance coverage, and oral healthcare
and health services. Access to healthcare refers to the use of personal health services at an
individual’s point of need to help achieve excellent health results. It can be achieved through
ensuring that the people can easily obtain the services especially using the insurance coverage.
Secondly, it can be achieved by improving the geographical availability of healthcare centers.
Lastly, it can be achieved through improving the personal relationship between the healthcare
providers and the people to ensure that they can easily communicate with them (Jacobs, Bigdeli,
Annear & Damme, 2011).
Improving access to healthcare can also be achieved by identifying the barriers to
healthcare. Identifying these barriers can help create appropriate interventions to solve the
problem. The barriers to healthcare services among the families living below the poverty line

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 11
include the high cost of healthcare. Secondly, it consists of the lack of insurance coverage and
lack of availability of healthcare services. Lastly, it includes a lack of culturally appropriate care.
The barriers to healthcare lead to unmet health needs among the people. It also leads to financial
burdens and delays in getting proper care. It also prevents the people from getting preventative
services such as screening, vaccination and health education. It also leads to preventable
hospitalizations and preventable deaths. Therefore, addressing these barriers can help improve
access to healthcare (Access to Health Services, n.d.).
Improving housing among the families living below the poverty line can improve their
health by preventing them from the illnesses associated with poor housing (Cunningham, 2016).
The quality of houses for these families can be achieved through the creation of affordable
houses. The introduction of house policies that aim at ensuring the people get quality houses at
reasonable prices should be enacted and implemented (Waters, n.d.).
In conclusion, poverty has a significant effect on the families living below the poverty
line in Australia. Although there are several initiatives to help reduce poverty levels, I believe
much more needs to be done. For instance, people should be empowered through quality
education which will help them get jobs to sustain themselves. Jobs will help people get income
to purchase nutritious foods as well as improve their access to health services and proper
housing. People should also be empowered to engage in agricultural activities to help them have
access to healthy foods that will help them fight cases such as malnutrition and obesity.

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