Social Determinants of Health

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Social determinants of health are the circumstances in which people are born, live and work in that influence their health status. This includes a person’s socioeconomic status, employment, education, friend/family support, neighborhood, housing, physical environment, and access to healthcare. Social determinants of health are very relevant to health conditions involving the nervous system. Some examples could be carpal tunnel syndrome, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, etc. These conditions may be experienced as a result of a person’s social, behavioral and biobehavioral factors. Social factors could be income, education, culture, family/friend support. Behavioral factors might be diet, tobacco/alcohol use, physical activity, sexual practices, etc. Lastly, biobehavioral factors could be stress, psychological health, allostatic load, etc. For example, a person may have a stroke due to years of unhealthy behavioral choices. As Dr. Rishi Manchanda noted in the ted talk, living and working conditions account for 60 percent of preventable death. Considering this fact, as occupational therapists we have the opportunity to prevent exacerbation of illnesses or injuries by examining a client’s entire situation (cue retrieval practice on the holistic approach).

As an OT student at the UTHSC I am required to fulfill service/professional development hours. This requirement facilitates preparation for my future as an OT by allowing an opportunity for personal growth in professionalism, networking, and OT skills. The knowledge and confidence I gain through hands on experience during service projects will be evident as I grow into the best OT I can be.

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