University Health Policy Discussion: Social Murder and Determinants

This assignment delves into the complex relationship between public policy and health outcomes, particularly within the Canadian context. It examines how social determinants of health, including income, housing, employment, and access to healthcare, are shaped by government policies and how these factors influence the well-being of Canadians. The assignment analyzes the concept of 'social murder' as a critical lens for evaluating policies, such as those related to minimum wage and social assistance, and their impact on vulnerable populations. Furthermore, it explores the means by which Canadians can become aware of and accept the significance of social determinants of health, and how individuals can be convinced of the importance of these issues. The assignment also considers the potential downsides of using strong language in public discourse and provides an overview of the existing literature and research on these topics.

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• On first reading, who do you think makes the best arguments concerning the different ways
to raise public policy issues related to health? Why? What do you think the average
Canadians’ responses to each of the article might be?
With the first reading, the best argument concerning the different ways for raising public policy
issues related to health was that impoverished people are more likely to die younger than the
other Canadians. In Canada, the wide usage has gained the social determinants of health which
includes the education, income and income distribution, health services as well as food
insecurity. It is shown in the statistics that the documents that Canadian men are lower by 20% of
the income distribution (Gore and Kothari, 2012). Canadian responses on reading the article
might be not happy because of the new policies and also not increasing the minimum wage. It is
analyzed that the health outcomes are included in living circumstances and the associated
psychosocial stresses (Raphael, 2016).
• What is the value in using graphic terms such as “social murder” in putting these issues on
the public policy agenda?
Living conditions are required to be considered by the authorities of government. Public policies
are required to be created for improving the living circumstances of Canadian. The different
ways are required to be adopted for raising public policy. The new government policies are
described which includes the decision of not increasing the minimum wages and slowing down
the rate of increasing social assistance which is as social murder. It is described that the
impoverished people will die younger than the other Canadians. It is described that the unlawful
premeditated killing leads to increasing poverty and also lead to increase mortality. The policies
which are related to healthcare, energies, social assistance, and growth of economy require
making effective decisions that help in influencing health outcomes and longevity. In the
minimum wage, the policy is required to be set for minimizing poverty. In health care policy, the
main impact is of social assistance policy on the lives of people. Poverty and minimum wage are
the main issues in public policy (Raphael, 2018).
• What might be the downsides of using such language? On balance would such language
move these issues forward or back? Why?

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The main consideration is with the quality and the distribution in the population of Canada. The
government authorities are concern regarding income inequality, precarious employment, and a
weakening social safety net. The main concern was to advancing the understanding of people
which holds the social determinants of health and providing support which includes the efforts
for improving the quality as well as equally distributing the income for the development of the
health-promoting public policy (Mikkonen and Raphael, 2010).
In the Canada policy program, the concern is regarding the key social determinants of health in
Canada and exploring the implications for maintaining the conditions of health and outlining the
policies for strengthening the social determinants. For Canadians, it is analyzed that all the social
determinants are essential for health. Social murder is an issue that is considered in the public
policy agenda (Raphael, 2018).
• What are some means by which Canadians can come to know and accept the significance of
the social determinants of health and the public policies that shape them?
Canadians came to know and accepted the significance of social determinants of health by
understanding the policies and clearly aligning the existing government structures as well as a
policy framework. Health services are considered a well-organized, nationalized health care
system that could be an important social determinant of health-if this is not the case. Social
determinants of health helped Canadians in preventing infectious diseases and diseases like
measles, influenza, and polio and treated with fever, typhoid, and diphtheria (Raphael, 2016). It
also helped in improving the behavior by reducing the use of tobacco and diet change which
helps in improved longevity.
Income is considered as an effective health determinant along with this it is also a determinant
for providing the quality in life, educating and hobs and making the good working conditions and
providing food security (Raphael, 2016). Housing quality is improved with the help of income
and it is a determinant for satisfying the need of social safety net and experiences in society.
Public policy and policy environment play a crucial role which focuses to determine the
relationship. Social determinants of health require to adopt the approaches for the new
development. The lives of people are influenced by the Canadian policymakers for improving the

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social determinants and keeping the importance of political, social and economic environment
(Raphael, 2009).
Social determinants of health help in specifying the living as well as working conditions which
helps in experiencing the people's lives. The pathways are required to be followed which links
the social structures, material factors, and health outcomes. The public policies help in shaping
the lives of people in which social structure helps in shaping the conditions of work and the
quality of social environments (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,
2016).
• If you were to try and convince someone you personally knew of the importance of these
issues, how would you go about it?
In order to convince someone, it is necessary to know about the importance which influences of
various factors of politics and public policy in Canadian lives. I would rather say that with the
support of specific parties, the organized labor-power are influenced. The interpretation of neo-
materialism focuses on the extent to which society distributes healthy social determinants. Social
comparison theory holds that individuals compare their living conditions with others. If they find
themselves lacking in life, they will feel pressured, and jealousy and jealousy threaten their
health (Raphael, 2018).
I would suggest implementing the policies. In the case of income and distribution in Canada,
employment security and availability are considered as the prime for social determinants of
health. With the help of socioeconomic, cultural and environmental conditions, the lifestyle of an
individual is focused. In Canada, income is considered as the most essential for the health as
social determinant. Income levels affects the overall living condition and health-related
behaviors such as diet quality, physical condition Activities, smoking and excessive drinking
(Bryant, et al., 2011). Canadian income is determined with the the quality of other social
determinants of health like security of food and basic prerequisites for the health and providing
the shelter. The link among income and health has major focus as actual income is related to the
individual and family with receive. While implementing the policy, the emerging consensus
helps in income inequalities for the issue of health policy which are required to be addressed by
the policymakers and government. For Canadian employment, higher education makes it

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possible and creating employment in the market. It helps in creating more opportunities that
benefit the situation of employment (Chechak and Csiernik, 2014). I world try to convince by
explaining the policies which are related to health care and energies for the economic growth.
The right policy is required to be adopted as the mistaken policy can cause the person to die
sooner.

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Reference
Bryant, T., Raphael, D., Schrecker, T., & Labonte, R. (2011). Canada: A land of missed
opportunity for addressing the social determinants of health. Health Policy, 101(1), 44-
58.
Chechak, D., & Csiernik, R. (2014). Canadian perspectives on conceptualizing and responding to
workplace violence. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 29(1), 55-72.
Gore, D., & Kothari, A. (2012). Social determinants of health in Canada: Are healthy living
initiatives there yet? A policy analysis. International journal for equity in health, 11(1),
41.
Mikkonen, J., & Raphael, D. (2010). Social determinants of health: The Canadian facts.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). A framework for educating
health professionals to address the social determinants of health. National Academies
Press.
Raphael, D. (2016). Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. 3rd edition. Canadian
Scholars’ Press.
Raphael, D. (2018). Accusing the Ford government of social murder is deplorable. Retrieved at:
https://torontosun.com/category/opinion/columnists
Raphael, D. (2018). Social murder and the Doug ford government. Retrieved at
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2018/10/08/social-murder-and-the-doug-
fordgovernment.html
Raphael, D., Bryant, T., & Rioux, M. (2019). Staying alive: Critical perspectives on health,
illness, and health care. Canadian Scholars.