SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
MIDTERM 1 EXAM QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
What are social determinants of health? - Correct Answers -Economic and social
conditions that shape the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions as a
whole.
Since a social determinants of health approach sees the mainsprings of health as being
how a society organizes and distributes economic and social resources, it directs
attention to ________ and ______ policies as a means of improving it. - Correct
Answers -Economic
Social
It has been known since the mid-19th century that __________ __________ are the
primary determinants of health. - Correct Answers -Living conditions
True/false. Material and social circumstances to which people in developed nations
such as Canada are exposed to in their homes, workplaces, and communities are far
more important to their health than so-called "lifestyle choices" ie. using tobacco or
alcohol, partaking in physical activity. - Correct Answers -True
What is the problem with current governmental and public health activities focused on
promoting health? - Correct Answers -Instead of efforts to improve Canadian's living
conditions, individualized approaches focus on biomedical and behavioural risk factors.
When living conditions are considered it is usually to identify those Canadians whose
living conditions are said to put them at risk for making "unhealthy lifestyle choices"
(health behaviours that are less important determinants of health) rather that urging
governmental authorities to improve their living circumstances (a primary determinant of
health).
True/false. Surveys show that Canadians have good awareness of the important role
that living conditions play in determining health. - Correct Answers -False. They have
little awareness of this.
What three factors did English political economist Friedrich Engels discover were the
primary contributors to social class differences in health? - Correct Answers -Material
living conditions, day to day stress, and the adoption of health threatening behaviours.
,What did Rudolf Virchow identify in relation to health? - Correct Answers -How health-
threatening living conditions were rooted in public policy-making and emphasized the
role that politics played in promoting health and preventing disease.
What 2 UK reports sparked interest in how social conditions shape health? What is the
significance of these studies? What did they describe? - Correct Answers -1. Black
Report (1980); Health Divide (1992)
2. Stimulated the study of health inequalities, the factors that determine them, and how
public policy can increase or reduce them.
3. Lowest employment-level groups showed a greater likelihood of suffering from a wide
range of diseases and dying prematurely from illness or injury at every stage of the life
cycle.
Professionals have the best health, followed by skilled workers, and manual labourers
the worst.
In 1974 the federal government's A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians
identified what 4 factors as determinants of health? What was the significance of this
document? - Correct Answers -1. Human biology, environment, lifestyle, and health
care organization.
2. It outlined determinants of health outside of the health care system.
The Canadian government document Achieving Health for All: A Framework for Health
Promotion outlined what? - Correct Answers -Reducing inequities between income
groups as an important goal of government policy.
In its Action Statement for Health Promotion in Canada, the Canadian Public Health
Association (CPHA) identified what as the single best strategy to affect the determinants
of health? - Correct Answers -Advocating for healthy public policies.
The study of the social determinants of health deals with what 2 key problems? -
Correct Answers -1. What are the societal factors (ie. income, education, employment
conditions) that shape health and and help explain health inequalities.
2. What are the societal forces (ie. economic, social, political) that shape the quality of
these societal factors?
In what publishing did the term "social determinants of health" make its debut? What is
the name of the man who fleshed out the environmental determinants of health in this
report? - Correct Answers -Health and Social Organization: Towards a Health Policy for
the 21st Century
Tarlov
What 4 criteria were used to identify the 23 key social determinants of health especially
relevant to Canadians (developed at the York University Social Determinants of Health
across the Lifespan conference)? - Correct Answers -1. All these social determinants of
health (SDH) are important to the health of Canadians.
2. All these SDH are understandable to Canadians.
, 3. All these SDH have clear policy relevance to Canadians decision makers and
citizens.
4. All these SDH are especially timely and relevant.
(pg. 7)
What were 3 outcomes of the Social Determinants of Health Across the Lifespan
conference at York University? - Correct Answers -1. 1st edition of Social Determinants
of Health: Canadian Perspectives (the textbook)
2. Drafting and ratification of the Toronto Charter on the Social Determinants of Health
3. Establishment of a "Social Determinants of Health" listserv
What are the 12 social determinants of health identified by the organizers of the York
University conference? - Correct Answers -Aboriginal status, early life, education,
employment and working conditions, food security, gender, health care services,
housing, income and its distribution, social safety net, social exclusion, unemployment
and employment security.
The health of Canadians has improved since 1900. What factors do Canadians believe
are responsible for this? What factor do most analysts conclude is largely accountable?
- Correct Answers -1.
- Improved health care (only 10-15% of increased longevity since 1900 is due to
improved health care)
- Development of vaccines and medical treatments (but by the time these were
developed dramatic declines in mortality had already occurred)
- Improvements in behaviour (ie. smoking, diet)
2.
Improving material conditions of everyday life experienced by Canadians since 1900 (ie.
education, housing, health and social services, and other social determinants of health).
What does evidence indicate that health inequalities among Canadians result primarily
from? - Correct Answers -Experiences of qualitatively different environments associated
with the social determinants of health (ie. income is a SDH in itself but also a
determinant of quality of life, education, food security etc.)
Income is a prime determinant of Canadians' premature years of life lost and premature
mortality from a range of diseases. __% of excess premature years of life lost can be
attributed to income differences among Canadians. - Correct Answers -23
The diseases most related to income differences in mortality among Canadians are
_____ ______ and ______. - Correct Answers -Heart disease and stroke.
What is the main cause between differences in overall health status between developed
and developing nations? - Correct Answers -Lack of basic necessities of life (food,
water, sanitation, primary health care etc.) in developing nations.
MIDTERM 1 EXAM QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
What are social determinants of health? - Correct Answers -Economic and social
conditions that shape the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions as a
whole.
Since a social determinants of health approach sees the mainsprings of health as being
how a society organizes and distributes economic and social resources, it directs
attention to ________ and ______ policies as a means of improving it. - Correct
Answers -Economic
Social
It has been known since the mid-19th century that __________ __________ are the
primary determinants of health. - Correct Answers -Living conditions
True/false. Material and social circumstances to which people in developed nations
such as Canada are exposed to in their homes, workplaces, and communities are far
more important to their health than so-called "lifestyle choices" ie. using tobacco or
alcohol, partaking in physical activity. - Correct Answers -True
What is the problem with current governmental and public health activities focused on
promoting health? - Correct Answers -Instead of efforts to improve Canadian's living
conditions, individualized approaches focus on biomedical and behavioural risk factors.
When living conditions are considered it is usually to identify those Canadians whose
living conditions are said to put them at risk for making "unhealthy lifestyle choices"
(health behaviours that are less important determinants of health) rather that urging
governmental authorities to improve their living circumstances (a primary determinant of
health).
True/false. Surveys show that Canadians have good awareness of the important role
that living conditions play in determining health. - Correct Answers -False. They have
little awareness of this.
What three factors did English political economist Friedrich Engels discover were the
primary contributors to social class differences in health? - Correct Answers -Material
living conditions, day to day stress, and the adoption of health threatening behaviours.
,What did Rudolf Virchow identify in relation to health? - Correct Answers -How health-
threatening living conditions were rooted in public policy-making and emphasized the
role that politics played in promoting health and preventing disease.
What 2 UK reports sparked interest in how social conditions shape health? What is the
significance of these studies? What did they describe? - Correct Answers -1. Black
Report (1980); Health Divide (1992)
2. Stimulated the study of health inequalities, the factors that determine them, and how
public policy can increase or reduce them.
3. Lowest employment-level groups showed a greater likelihood of suffering from a wide
range of diseases and dying prematurely from illness or injury at every stage of the life
cycle.
Professionals have the best health, followed by skilled workers, and manual labourers
the worst.
In 1974 the federal government's A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians
identified what 4 factors as determinants of health? What was the significance of this
document? - Correct Answers -1. Human biology, environment, lifestyle, and health
care organization.
2. It outlined determinants of health outside of the health care system.
The Canadian government document Achieving Health for All: A Framework for Health
Promotion outlined what? - Correct Answers -Reducing inequities between income
groups as an important goal of government policy.
In its Action Statement for Health Promotion in Canada, the Canadian Public Health
Association (CPHA) identified what as the single best strategy to affect the determinants
of health? - Correct Answers -Advocating for healthy public policies.
The study of the social determinants of health deals with what 2 key problems? -
Correct Answers -1. What are the societal factors (ie. income, education, employment
conditions) that shape health and and help explain health inequalities.
2. What are the societal forces (ie. economic, social, political) that shape the quality of
these societal factors?
In what publishing did the term "social determinants of health" make its debut? What is
the name of the man who fleshed out the environmental determinants of health in this
report? - Correct Answers -Health and Social Organization: Towards a Health Policy for
the 21st Century
Tarlov
What 4 criteria were used to identify the 23 key social determinants of health especially
relevant to Canadians (developed at the York University Social Determinants of Health
across the Lifespan conference)? - Correct Answers -1. All these social determinants of
health (SDH) are important to the health of Canadians.
2. All these SDH are understandable to Canadians.
, 3. All these SDH have clear policy relevance to Canadians decision makers and
citizens.
4. All these SDH are especially timely and relevant.
(pg. 7)
What were 3 outcomes of the Social Determinants of Health Across the Lifespan
conference at York University? - Correct Answers -1. 1st edition of Social Determinants
of Health: Canadian Perspectives (the textbook)
2. Drafting and ratification of the Toronto Charter on the Social Determinants of Health
3. Establishment of a "Social Determinants of Health" listserv
What are the 12 social determinants of health identified by the organizers of the York
University conference? - Correct Answers -Aboriginal status, early life, education,
employment and working conditions, food security, gender, health care services,
housing, income and its distribution, social safety net, social exclusion, unemployment
and employment security.
The health of Canadians has improved since 1900. What factors do Canadians believe
are responsible for this? What factor do most analysts conclude is largely accountable?
- Correct Answers -1.
- Improved health care (only 10-15% of increased longevity since 1900 is due to
improved health care)
- Development of vaccines and medical treatments (but by the time these were
developed dramatic declines in mortality had already occurred)
- Improvements in behaviour (ie. smoking, diet)
2.
Improving material conditions of everyday life experienced by Canadians since 1900 (ie.
education, housing, health and social services, and other social determinants of health).
What does evidence indicate that health inequalities among Canadians result primarily
from? - Correct Answers -Experiences of qualitatively different environments associated
with the social determinants of health (ie. income is a SDH in itself but also a
determinant of quality of life, education, food security etc.)
Income is a prime determinant of Canadians' premature years of life lost and premature
mortality from a range of diseases. __% of excess premature years of life lost can be
attributed to income differences among Canadians. - Correct Answers -23
The diseases most related to income differences in mortality among Canadians are
_____ ______ and ______. - Correct Answers -Heart disease and stroke.
What is the main cause between differences in overall health status between developed
and developing nations? - Correct Answers -Lack of basic necessities of life (food,
water, sanitation, primary health care etc.) in developing nations.
