Health Care Polices Discussion

This week we will concentrate on Social Determinates of Health. The term social determinants of health refers to the complex, integrated, and overlapping social structures and economic systems that include social and physical environments and health services. Using this weeks readings or other outside sources, use your assignment 1 topics, a target population, and pick one social determinant of health (housing insecurity, poverty, education, social support etc.) and discuss how the health disparity/inequity impacts the target populations. See example below.

Topic: HIV

Target Population: African American Men

Social Determinates: Poverty

African American men that have sex with men between ages 16-34 (MSM) experience higher rates of HIV/AIDS mortality compared to any other racial or ethnic group. One factor that attributed to the high disparity is poverty. Young emerging adult African American MSM have incomes well below the federal poverty level and as a result are unable to afford life saving drugs. With the help of foundations and special programs offered by pharma companies such as Gilead, some individuals are able to quality for special programming to received medication, counseling and other health services…….