Social Determinants of Health

Alan Davidson is associate professor emeritus in the Health and Social Development department in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC-Okanagan.

• Introduction: The Conventional Understanding of Health and Its Alternative How We Understand Threats to Our Health A New Perspective on Our Health: Rise of an Alternative View Health Inequalities The Basis of Health Inequalities What Lies Ahead 1. Thinking about Individual and Population Health Synopsis Levels of Analysis Individual-Level Analysis of Health and Disease Origins of Population Health Some Notes on Terms Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 2. Health Care Services and Health Research Methods NEW Synopsis Health Care as a Determinant of Health Health Care or Health? Issues of Access and Equity Public Health Health Research Methods Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 3. Population Health and Social Epidemiology Synopsis The Emergence of the Field Social Epidemiology Geoffrey Rose and the Population-Health Perspective The Impact of Recent Studies on Thinking about Health The Gradient in Health The Building Blocks of Theory Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 4. Income, Inequality, and Health Synopsis Income and Health The Gradient in Health Understanding the Complex Relationship between Income and Health The Inequality Hypothesis: Preston, Rodgers, Kaplan, and Wilkinson The Inequality Hypothesis Under Assault What Are We to Make of the Literature on Inequality and Health? The Importance of Keeping Materialist Arguments Separate from Ones about Hierarchy and Control Other Explanations for the Correlation between Social Inequality and Health Income and Income Distribution Wealth Public Programs and Services Poverty and Its Mitigation Poverty Mitigation: Social Assistance or Welfare Lower Taxes or More Public Spending? Theoretical Considerations Summary Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 5. Childhood and the Transition to Adulthood Synopsis Early Childhood Animal Studies Contributions from Psychology Early Childhood Policy A Note on the Public School System Older Children and Teens Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 6. Gender and Health Synopsis The Health of Women and Men The Convergence of Health-Related Behaviour The Effects of Stable Long-Term Relationships on Health Distress Among Women Gender Equity Education and the Health of Women and Their Communities Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People Intersex People Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 7. Social Support, Social Capital, Social Exclusion, and Racism Synopsis Social Norms, Predictability, and Human Health Social Networks Social Support and Health Social Isolation among Older Adults Social Cohesion Social Capital Sense of Community Belonging Social Exclusion Racism Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 8. Health of Indigenous Peoples Synopsis Who Are the Indigenous Peoples? The Health of Indigenous Peoples Understanding the Determinants of Indigenous Health A Story of Dramatic Improvement Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 9. Employment, Working Conditions, and Health Synopsis The Centrality of Employment to Adult Health Health and Jobs Unemployment and Health Changes in the Nature of Employment Working Conditions and Health Policies Affecting Employment, Earnings, Job Benefits, and Working Conditions Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 10. Housing and Neighbourhood Synopsis Homes and Health Neighbourhood and Health Urban Design, the Built Environment, and Physical Activity Housing Policy and Health Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 11. Food, Food Insecurity, Nutrition, Obesity, and Health Synopsis Diet and the Health of Populations What Is a Healthy Diet? Canada's Food Guide The Relative Cost of Healthy Foods Obesity Diet and Health Policies and Programs Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 12. The Environment and Health NEW Synopsis Climate Change Natural Disasters Modern Food Production: Factory Farming Air Pollution Lead, Mercury, and Arsenic The Household Environment Plastics Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 13. Social Patterning of Behaviour Synopsis Human Behaviour and Its Context Substance Misuse Healthy Lifestyles Theoretical Considerations Summary Critical Thinking Questions Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites 14. The Politics of Population Health Models of Health Globalization and Human Health Population Health and Politics Annotated Suggested Readings Annotated Websites Glossary References Index

Davidson's text provides an excellent introduction to the social determinants of health in a way that is highly engaging and accessible. The breadth and depth of material covered is very effective."