Social Determinants of Health Impacting Young Adults aged 18 to 25. Stress and Addiction

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Health - Miscellaneous, grade: 86.4%, James Cook University, course: Bachelor of Physiotherapy, language: English, abstract: Despite the importance of medical care itself, public health is becoming increasingly aware of, and vigilant in addressing, the social and economic conditions that predispose the public to poor health in the first place (Wilkinson, & Marmot, 2003). The identified sensitivity of human health to the broader social environment has given rise to the proposed 10 social determinants of health (SDoH) (AIHW, 2016). These include social gradient, stress, early life, social exclusion, working conditions, unemployment, social support, addiction, food and transport (Wilkinson, & Marmot, 2003). Their importance lies in the potential development of public policy frameworks, targeting each determinant and facilitating the overcoming of socioeconomic barriers to achieve improved health outcomes (AIHW, 2016). Accordingly, the following report aims to outline the influence of two SDoH, stress and addiction, among the young adult (YA) population (18-25 years). The implications of the SDoH on providing care as a physiotherapist will also be discussed and evaluated at both the individual and broader community levels.