Exploring Social Determinants of Health in Sydney, Australia: An Essay

This essay delves into the social determinants of health in Sydney, Australia, examining how low socioeconomic status impacts healthcare access, nutrition, and housing. It highlights the adverse effects of poverty, including limited access to medical facilities, poor nutrition leading to chronic diseases, and inadequate housing conditions. The essay also explores the role of education and its influence on health outcomes, emphasizing the link between educational attainment and access to health insurance and quality healthcare. Furthermore, it provides recommendations for addressing health disparities, such as economic empowerment through job creation and micro-loans, community nutrition programs, and the importance of nutrition education. The study underscores the need for comprehensive strategies to improve the health and well-being of low-income families in Sydney.

Running head: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 1
Social Determinants of Health
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SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 2
Social Determinants of Health
Socio-determinants of health are the living conditions that impact or indicate the health or
the health outcome of a population. They include both the social and economic factors and their
distribution among a community that results in the differences in the health status. They also
include the neighboring and working conditions, income level, and race and education
attainments. They are the factors that impact on the access, demand and utilization of health care.
This essay seeks to explain the effect of the low socio-economic status of the families living in
Sydney, Australia (Vilela Brito & Vilela, 2018). It also describes how low income influences the
access to quality healthcare, good nutrition and good housing. Highlighted also are the
recommendations that may help in solving the health disparities in health and health care.
There is evidence that low socioeconomic status and its correlates are often related to the
increase in the occurrence of diseases and poor health. People from poor backgrounds are more
susceptible to many chronic diseases; they also have a lower life expectancy compared to
individuals with high socio-economic status. They also have reduced access to healthcare and
nutritious foods. This is because poor individuals do not have resources to spend on eating
healthy foods and seeing doctors (Frimpong, 2014).
Poverty in Australia has been growing in recent years with approximately 13.3% of the
people living under the internationally set standards. An estimated 731,000 children live in
poverty with 17.5% below the age of 15. There are high levels of poverty in Sydney, the capital
of Northern South Wales Australia. Research indicates that there is a wide gap between the rich

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 3
and the poor in the area. Around 18,000 families are living under the poverty line in the place.
This has adversely affected the health and access to health care by the families. The main cause
of poverty in the area is the rise in the cost of living. Lack of employment and education has also
led to the increase in the poverty levels (Key domestic economic forecasts for Australia, 2016).
Low socioeconomic status and access to Health Care
Low socio-economic status has negatively influenced the access to healthcare among the
people living in Sydney. Most families live far from the health care facilities making it hard for
them to acquire the services. They are always faced with the problem of paying for transport to
reach the facilities. Due to lack of enough income, they do not visit the hospitals which result in
poor health, worsening of health problems, deaths and disabilities. Expectant women also find it
hard to reach the hospitals making them deliver at home. This may lead to the development of
birth complications and even the death of the infant. The mothers who are lucky enough to safely
deliver their children often miss out on essential vaccinations, predisposing the infant to
communicable diseases (Frimpong, 2014).
Some of the facilities in the area have a small number of healthcare professionals. As a
result, they do wait for long to get medical attention. This discourages the patients from visiting
the hospitals and hence lacking treatment. They also miss out on the type of services they need
most because most facilities are not adequately equipped with medical equipment (Middleton et
al., 2018). Research indicates that there is a high prevalence rate of diseases such as diabetes and
cancer in the area. Patients suffering from the conditions need constant access to health care for
survival. Lack of access to the healthcare they need leads to the increase in mortality rates. It also

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 4
has an impacts on the emotional and psychological well-being of both the patients and family
members due to the pain they undergo through as a result of lack of treatment. The costs and
prices of health care services are high in the area. The families face barriers such as lack of
medical insurances and lack of enough funds which leads to delay or lack of medical treatments
(Health insurance for the poor, 2012). They also lack funds to purchase quality drugs and end up
getting low quality drugs that worsens their health. Some also resort to seeing traditional doctors
with the hope that they will get better.
Low socio-economic status and Nutrition
Socio-economic status greatly influences nutrition. The cost of poor nutrition is high and
continues to rise over the years. Due to lack of enough income, the families living in Sydney are
unable to afford nutritious foods. Inadequate consumption of major macronutrients and high
intake of calories do predispose them to conditions such as undernutrition and obesity. It may
also contribute to the development of chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure
and cardiovascular disease which have high economic costs. (Factors Contributing to Health and
Disease, 2016), suggests that better nutrition can improve intellectual capacity and hence
increasing their labour productivity. Improved nutrition is also vital to the high-income creation
and rapid development.
Studies indicate that poor people do make cheaper food choices which are less healthy
and less energy dense. On the other hand, people with high socioeconomic status purchase foods
such as fish, fresh vegetables and whole grains which reduce their risk of contracting heart
diseases and weight gain. Poverty has also resulted to poor nutrition in pregnant women. Proper

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 5
nutrition is essential during the peri-conceptual and antenatal periods as it is a significant
determinant of the health of both the mother and the infant. Under nutrition during pregnancy is
related to low birth weight. The infants also have a probability of developing childhood obesity
during their childhood (Williams, 2011).
There is a high prevalence of obesity and emotional and health problems among the
children living in Sydney. Proper nutrition is necessary for a child's growth. Children with no
access to healthy nutritious foods or essential nutrients are susceptible to acute and chronic
diseases. According to Williams, children with poor nutrition have a high likelihood of
developing mental and emotional health effects and obesity. Data retrieved from the World
Health Organization suggests that children with lack of access to healthy foods have a chance of
not attending schools and repeating grades. This results in the inability to succeed academically
which has a huge impact on their future lives (Williams, 2011).
Low Socioeconomic Status and Housing
The residents of Sydney are unable to afford proper housing due to their socio-economic
status. Poor housing adversely affects the health of both the children, elderly, youths and
expectant mothers. Housing is one of the prime concerns for public health. This is because it
influences health and well-being since it is where people spend most of their time. Decent
housing is essential for psychological reasons and protection against physical, biological and
chemical hazards (Carpenter, 2016).

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According to the World Health Organization, four concepts define the housing of a
person. They include both the dwelling, the neighborhood, the home and the community. The
home is the economic, social, cultural and economic structure developed by the family. The
dwelling refers to the structures with adequate capacity and facilities that accommodate the
family members. The community refers to the structures built by those living in the locality. The
neighborhood includes social amenities such as shops, playgrounds and churches.
Good housing is that which is free from preventable hazards. Secondly, it should be quiet
and provide adequate privacy. Thirdly it should provide room for enough relaxation. Lastly, it
should provide suitable means for sleeping and personal hygiene. Any undesirable condition in
the dwelling may lead to adverse effects such as physical and mental illnesses. There are high
rates of respiratory diseases such as asthma in Sydney. This is due to constant exposure to radon
and asbestos. Depression and anxiety rates are also high in the area due to lack of proper
housing. Many people suffer from accidents and fires, high body temperature and common
physical symptoms (Lauster, 2010).
There are also high rates of allergic reactions, headaches, asthma, diarrhea and nausea
among the children and the elderly in Sydney. This is because they live in damp houses. The
presence of house dust mites and airborne mould spores intensifies the respiratory conditions.
Overcrowding in the area has also increased the spread of communicable diseases such as
tuberculosis in the area. This has resulted in higher deaths rates among the children and the
elderly since most of the conditions are left untreated.

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Low socioeconomic status and education
Recent studies indicate that low socio-economic status hinders individuals from acquiring
quality education. There is a healthy relationship between high educational attainment and good
health and healthy practices. In today’s life, graduates or people with high level of education are
likely to get a job that gives benefits such as health insurance, paid retirements and leaves.
However, people from poor background are more likely to land jobs that are high risk with few
benefits. The fact that educated people have a high chance of getting health insurance helps them
get quality affordable health care that is timely and hence reducing mortality. They also have
access to quality healthcare. It also ensures that people have the income to buy nutritious foods
(Greß & Wasem, 2017).
Education also ensures that people engage in healthy practices such as going for
screening services which enables them to know early enough if they are infected or at risk of
having a particular disease. Research indicates that the families living in Sydney do not go for
screening services. This has resulted in the late diagnosis of diseases such as cancers and
cardiovascular diseases and hence leading to early deaths and economic costs in treating the
conditions. . Research shows that there are more health inequalities among the less educated
people. Education also helps eliminate health disparities as people will be educationally
empowered, and this will make them independent. It also helps them understand more about their
rights which will help them fight the health inequalities (Marmot, Allen, Bell & Goldblatt, 2011).

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Recommendations
The families living in Sydney should be economically empowered to ensure that they
receive the health benefits and healthy foods just like the rest. This can be achieved through the
creation of employment opportunities through increased productivity. The jobs should be
sustainable to help the families have enough money to afford healthcare and good nutritious
foods. The government should also offer micro-loans to the people for them to start small
businesses that can depend on as a source of income (Polack & Warwick, 2016).
The government can also source for donor funding to acquire money to fund startups
businesses or already established ones to ensure that they are sustainable enough. They can also
identify market opportunities and to ensure that they maximise their profits (Women's economic
empowerment, 2012). The government should also train the people on income generating
activities such as tailoring and food production. The people should be encouraged to save part of
the income to use during tough economic times (Northridge & Freeman, 2011).
Population nutrition can be enhanced through society empowerment through the use of
community nutrition programs. It is vital for the community to eat well and live a healthy life to
prevent them from being obese or suffering from malnutrition. Nutrition education is a critical
aspect especially for the low-income families because they will get to understand a proper
dietary habit and the choice of food that they are required to consume. (Yoo & Kim, 2017).
Policies that promote good eating habits, books and other sources with information on nutrition
should be given to the community. Nutrition has an essential duty to improve childhood health

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 9
and maternal care. Proper nutrition among children leads to a healthy lifestyle and prevention of
many diseases.
Nutrition education also provides suggestions on how to develop good eating behaviors
in the community. Nutrition guidelines can be of great help in informing people about nutritious
family nourishment. It should also be included in the curriculum so that even the weak learners
can also acquire knowledge regarding healthy meals. This should be supported by the school
management and the participation of the community. This will improve healthy food
accessibility for the poor people in Sydney. For the intervention to be effective, the community
members should also have interest in promoting healthy living. Nutrition education can
encourage people to do physical activities which is a significant role in preventing chronic
diseases by burning excess calories in the body. It also helps people to keep fit. (World Health
Organization)
Access to quality and affordable health care for the poor has been a significant challenge
in Sydney. To increase the access to quality of health is to develop health centers in the
community. There is need to give preventive healthcare services and serve people who are not
able to afford quality treatment. The government should make the medical covers affordable to
the poor. This will ensure that they receive treatments even when they lack enough funds. It will
also reduce the financial costs and stress they face when they are unable to pay hospital bills.
After lowering the prices for the insurance covers, the government should ensure that the people
embrace the usage of the insurances (Stolldorf, 2017). Health care services should consider the
homeless and those who survive in public housing. There should be increased access to services
such as gynecologic, paedriatic, and family practice services. (Middleton et al., 2018).

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 10
The government should also ensure that there are enough well-trained health service
providers. As a result, majority of the people will have access quality healthcare. This will help
in ensuring that their service reaches the people in the rural and marginalized area. This is will
also assist in the provision of quality and appropriate treatment for all patients, regardless of the
complexity of the health issue. This will also ensure that there are reduced delays in acquiring
treatment. The community centers should be expanded so that the population can be covered
accordingly. The centers should also be put in a location that is easily accessible by the poor to
reduce time coverage and the costs involved in transport. Emergency rooms should also be
adequately equipped so that those patients who are in critical condition get quality treatment and
avoid further loss of life. Transport and ambulance services should be offered for the victims
who live in the rural areas and those who require urgent treatment. The state should also reduce
taxes on food industries to enhance the provision of quality food to the community. (Mukherjee,
2017).
Proper habitation is essential in promoting health in Sydney. An unworthy housing may
cause respiratory diseases and other preventable ailments. Through appropriate housing,
respiratory diseases can be greatly avoided. This may contribute to proper physical health
development. Respiratory conditions may be reduced through proper modification of the houses.
Therefore the people from Sydney should be encouraged to have adequate ventilation in their
houses to prevent tuberculosis which results from overcrowding (Saunders, Watanabe & Wong,
2015). This will assist in the protection of the respiratory health system and the prevention of
asthma. Ventilation will also help in minimizing condensation by temperature regulation and the
controlling of the level of moisture status. Ventilation is also more likely to reduce radon gas
concentration (Baskaran, 2016).

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The government should ensure that overcrowding should is avoided to prevent the
spread of infectious diseases. It should also train the community health nurses on how to conduct
an environmental evaluation in the houses present in the community and also educate them about
the importance of good air quality of air indoors. The government should also ensure that the
health care personnel’s conduct community assessment so that they can create policies that take
care of risks involved in poor housing. It should also collaborate with the department that deals
with housing issues and constructions and create awareness on the effect of housing condition on
the health of the population. It should also focus on providing better houses for the less
unfortunate.
Medical experts should educate people in the community concerning proper sanitation
and hygiene. They should be taught the essence of practising good hygiene behaviors such as
washing hands after visiting the washrooms and before preparing and having meals. The ladies
should also be taught on good menstrual hygiene (Yoo & Kim, 2017). This will reduce the
number of illnesses and deaths from communicable diseases. The personnel’s should determine
the hygiene practices that require changes in the area and provide information to the public about
it. The government should also create programs that will help in maintaining good health and
increasing the lifespans of the population (Sassen, 2017).
Education on the benefits of hospital deliveries should be explained to the people. People
from low economic status do not attend the hospital because of low income. The government
should create programs that change people’s perception on visiting hospitals. The people should
be informed about the advantages of visiting the hospital early enough (Tausch, 2012). The
importance of proper health-seeking behaviours should be emphasized. They should be

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH 12
discouraged from waiting for severity of the illness for them to get treatment to prevent further
damage to the patient or disease progression that may result in unnecessary disability. Early
treatment also minimizes mortality rate and hence increasing economic productivity (Primary
Care, 2017). More education is needed to create awareness about the ailments that can be
prevented and controlled, effects on the body and the methods of prevention.
The people living in Sydney should be educated about general signs and symptoms of
diseases and how they should handle them if they are far from the health facility. They should
also be discouraged from purchasing over the counter drugs without proper. This will help in
avoiding many illnesses and deaths due to the wrong subscription of medications through the
counter method. (Vilela, Brito & Vilela, 2018). Reducing the poverty level to the minimum has
the chance of ensuring that the community leads a normal healthy and productive life. However,
this is a difficult task to achieve and requires good political goodwill and the participation of
both the community and relevant stakeholders.