An individual’s health is influenced by many factors. Nurse Practitioners must be versed in all factors and adept in assessing the impact of economic conditions, education, environment, and social conditions on health.
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) have a major impact on people’s health, well-being, and quality of life. Examples of SDOH include:
- Safe housing, transportation, and neighborhoods
- Racism, discrimination, and violence
- Education, job opportunities, and income
- Access to nutritious foods and physical activity opportunities
- Polluted air and water
- Language and literacy skills
For this Discussion, you will explore Social Determinants of Health and five areas that are impacted. For your community where you reside, assess these five areas. You will also explore available instruments to complete a full assessment of an individual’s SDOH.
Post a brief summary of the findings of the Social Determinants of Health in your community for each of the five areas described above. When providing your summary, take into consideration the preparation questions above and incorporate those into the summary.
To prepare:
- Who is most affected?
- What major challenges have you found?
- What changes could you propose?
- What risk assessment instruments would be appropriate to use when assessing your community?
- Identify any potential health-related risks based upon the community age groups.