Critically discussing the claim that education is a social determinant of health and its close relationship to other determinants of health within an Australian context is important. The World Health Organisation, among others, recognises education as a social determinant of health alongside factors such as ethnicity, income, gender, housing, employment and socioeconomic status (World Health Organisation, n.d.). According to WHO’s definition of determinants of health: The condition in which people are born, grow, live, work and age including the health system.
These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels. These factors are themselves influenced by policy choices. The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities – the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries. The key purpose of this essay is to discuss why education is considered a social determinant of health. Additionally, this essay will explore how education is closely related to other determinants of health such as employment, income, socioeconomic status, and housing.
This essay will analyze current statistics and scholarly articles that address education and its impact on society and health. Inequality in this context can be defined as the unequal distribution of, and access to resources required for the development, social, and emotional wellbeing of adults and children (Zubrick et al., n.d.). These resources can include human, psychological, and social capital as well as income and wealth (Zubrick et al., n.d.). Social capital can be defined as the network of social connections that exist between people along with their shared values and norms of behavior (Griffiths et al., 2009).
Education has a direct impact on health in many ways. It provides individuals with opportunities to expand knowledge, develop skills, enhance abilities, and empower communities. The South Australian Council of Social Services developed an information paper on the social determinants of health (Cannon, 2008). They highlight education as a social determinant of health while also emphasizing how closely related education is to other determinants such as income and housing. The paper conveys that education provides people with the ability to make future choices regarding occupation.
This ultimately gives control over the future level of income and housing (Cannon, 2008). Unfortunately, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released a survey that showed only 54% of Australians aged 15-74 years meet the literacy skills needed for the complex demands of everyday life and work (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Taft (1953) conducted a survey on a coal mining town in Western Australia. His survey was based on what society valued regarding certain occupations, including income, interest in the job, and education and intelligence required for each occupation.
After analyzing the 277 surveys, Taft (1953) found that the majority of young adults valued education more than income. High-income and high-prestige occupations, such as being a doctor, meant that individuals made use of their education and intelligence. Taft (1953) highlighted that low-prestige occupations, such as street sweepers, required little intelligence or education. However, the relationship between occupation and education doesn’t always result in good health, as identified by Fijishiro (2010). He identifies that occupation can bring on stress and harmful exposure to a person.
The type of occupation a person is involved in may also be physically harmful and expose them to health hazards. For example, construction workers (Fijishiro, 2010). Some studies have also shown that good housing can have a negative impact on health (World Health Organisation, n.d.). WHO provides a great example of this by explaining that if someone has high education, high income, and good housing but the cost for housing or rent rises, it could negatively impact their health (World Health Organisation, n.d.).
Social inclusion recognizes that some people in the world cannot live the life they desire because they lack opportunities to do so (Griffiths et al., 2009). This exclusion can be due to various factors, including family circumstances, community poverty, inadequate housing, or illness. Griffiths et al. (2009) conducted a survey on young women living in an area of high social and economic disadvantage to determine how their environment impacted them. They also conducted a literature review that identified a correlation between education, unemployment, and health.
According to their findings, individuals with physical and mental health issues were more likely to have lower levels of education and unemployment due to limited access to healthcare and educational facilities. The authors conducted a survey in Villawood, NSW, Australia where they asked participants what services and activities they would like available in the area. Of the 219 women who participated, 173 expressed a desire for improved access to services such as education, shopping, community services, and medical care.
Unemployment and poor education can decrease the sense of social support and inclusion (Ross & Wu, 1995). Research indicates that social support groups, such as work friends and gym friends, can improve health (Ross & Wu, 1995).
Boddy (2009) highlights that women in Australia are increasingly pursuing careers and further studies. However, these women come from a socioeconomic community that is not disadvantaged.
Some women from disadvantaged communities in Australia do not prioritize education and employment due to the emphasis placed on their role as the caregiver of the home, a gender role norm (Boddy, 2009). Several studies have shown that income, employment, and education are social determinants of health. According to Wilkinson & Marmot (2003), unemployment puts people at risk for health issues. They highlight that being employed results in better health while unemployment causes illness and premature death. A certain level of education is required to prepare individuals for work.
Cannon (2008) highlights the relationship between health, education, and income by stressing that it should not be underestimated. He explains that individuals who are employed and earn income have better access to healthcare and nutrition. Judge & Paterson (2001) suggest that the level of income during childhood is an important determinant of an individual’s educational achievement and health capacity. These factors contribute to a person or family’s living standards and health in adulthood, ultimately affecting their overall health (Judge & Paterson, 2001).
Income can provide people with a sense of control over their lives, enabling them to access good housing, healthcare facilities and increase opportunities for higher education (Winkleby et al., 1992). A discussion paper by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2009) illustrated the socio-economic status of higher education students. The paper demonstrated that a student’s likelihood of pursuing further education is dependent on their parents’ educational level. This study adds to Judge & Paterson’s (2001) argument by highlighting the relationship between education and income. The Australian Bureau of Statistics highlights the relationship between socio-economic status and education (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Socio-economic status can be defined as a measure determined by education, income, occupation or a combination of these social determinants of health (Winkleby et al., 1992). The Two National Health Surveys conducted in Australia in 1989/90 and 1995 established that people from lower socio-economic backgrounds tend to have lower health statuses than those from higher socio-economic backgrounds.
This document highlights that education and socio-economic status are not only related to higher income but also used to obtain information and services for health. It can be said that people of higher socio-economic status participate in low levels of health risk behaviors, whereas those of lower socio-economic status engage in high levels of health risk behavior (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). A review by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) further emphasizes the relationship between socio-economic status and education in Australia.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006), areas with the greatest relative disadvantage” typically have high proportions of low-income families, unemployed individuals, people without educational qualifications, public housing residents, and those in unskilled or semi-skilled occupations. Conversely, people from less disadvantaged areas tend to have higher incomes, more highly qualified individuals, and highly skilled professional occupations.
The “Closing the Gap” campaign aims to reduce Indigenous disadvantage in areas such as life expectancy, child mortality rates, access to education and employment (Zubrick et al., n.d.). Education is closely related not only to income and employment but also to socio-economic status as well as ethnicity and race. There are clear differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in many aspects of life (Zubrick et al., n.d.).
Statistics show that Indigenous Australians have lower standards of health, education, income, employment, and housing. They also have a high presence in the criminal justice system (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Nationally, data shows that Indigenous Australians are more likely to live in poverty and be unemployed with lower levels of education (Tascoss, n.d.). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011), younger Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders were more likely to complete year 12 than older adults.
Over time, education has increased in Indigenous Australian society (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011). However, unemployment still affects the well-being and health of Australian society as a social determinant (Australian Government: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2009). In 2008, statistics showed that the unemployment rate for Indigenous Australians was at 15.1%, compared to the non-Indigenous rate of 3.8% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011).
The World Health Organisation also identifies housing as a social determinant of health. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that higher levels of education are associated with Indigenous household ownership and decreased overcrowding. However, some people are unable to access help due to various reasons; research shows that education can influence housing to some extent (Ross & Wu, 1995). In Queensland alone in 1996 approximately 25,000 people were homeless with around half being left without shelter (Queensland Health).
Homelessness Australia highlights that young people tend to leave educational institutions like schools or universities after experiencing homelessness firsthand. They have developed a factsheet emphasizing the importance of education for all families in preventing homelessness from occurring.
In conclusion, education is identified by the World Health Organisation as a social determinant affecting other determinants such as income level and occupation status. Education helps individuals develop interpersonal and life skills which can lead to employment opportunities providing income necessary for accessing healthcare facilities and living healthy lives (Cannon, 2008). Higher levels of education provide better employment opportunities according to the Australian Bureau Of Statistics(2006), making it an important factor in maintaining good health.
References
- Australian Bureau Of Statistics.(2011) Education And Indigenous Wellbeing
- Australian Government: Department Of Education Employment And Workplace Relations.(2009)
- Queensland Health. (n.d.)
- Ross, C., & Wu, C. (1995)
- Homelessness Australia.(n.d.)
- Cannon, J. (2008)
Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected] nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features50Mar+2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2006). Health and socioeconomic disadvantage of area. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected] nsf/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/21a26c94c69f98daca2570ec00112610!OpenDocument Australian Government: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2009). Measuring the socio-economic status of higher education students. Retrieved from http://www.innovation.gov.au/HigherEducation/Documents/LowSES_Discussionpaper.pdf Boddy, J. (2009). Challenging gender role stereotypes and creating pathways for goal achievement: a study of a group mentoring programme for women from disadvantaged communities. Qualitative Social Work, 8, 489-508. Cannon, R. (2008). The social determinants of health: information paper.Retrieved from http://www.sacoss.org.au/online_docs/081210%20Social%20Determinants%20of%20Health%20Report.pdf Fujishiro, K., Xu, J., Gong, F. (2010). What does occupation represent as an indicator of socioeconomic status? Exploring occupational prestige and health. Social Science & Medicine, 71, 2100-2107. Griffiths, R., Horsfall, J., Moore, M., Lane, D., Kroom,V., Lang
References:
- Ross, C. E., & Wu, C. (1995). The link between education and health. American sociological review, 60(5).
- Taft, R. (1953). The social grading of occupations in Australia. The British Journal of Sociology, 4(2), 181-188.
- Wilkinson, R., & Marmot, M. (2003). The solid facts (2nd ed.). Copenhagen: World Health Organisation.
- Winkleby, M.A., Jatulia D.E., Frank E., & Fortmann S.P.(1992).
Social determinants of health. Retrieved from http://www.tascoss.org.au/Portals/0/Publications/SDoH%20combined%20for%20web.pdf
Retrieved from http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/Documents/saphs/20399.pdf
The impact of socioeconomic status on health is a topic of interest, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease risk factors. The American Journal of Public Health published an article discussing how education, income, and occupation can contribute to these risk factors (82(6), 816-820).
The World Health Organization has also conducted research on this topic. Their website includes information on health impact assessment (http://www.who.int/hia/evidence/doh/en/index4.html) and social determinants of health (http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/).
Additionally, Zubrick et al. have studied the social determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing.
Academic Honesty
In this document, all sources used have been acknowledged through in-text referencing and a reference list in the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. For instance, I have directly quoted more than 40 words from a scholarly article. To achieve this, I omitted quotation marks and used double spacing for both my text and the indented quote that was indented by 5 spaces. Moreover, I ensured that it was an exact quote from the scholarly article. An example is shown below.
Retrieved from http://childhealthresearch.org.au/media/54874/chapter6.pdf
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines determinants of health as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, including the health system. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels. Policy choices also influence these factors. The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities – unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries.
The key purpose of this essay is to discuss why education is considered a social determinant of health.
Through my essay, I have provided definitions for key words and referenced their sources. For instance, inequality in this context refers to the unequal distribution of resources required for the development and social and emotional wellbeing of both adults and children (Zubrick et al., n.d.). Whenever I used examples from literature, I referred back to the author(s) and the article each time I summarized it. Additionally, I have included a reference list that is formatted according to referencing list style with all references in alphabetical order.
