Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health

Social Determinants of wellness and intellectual HealthThe social determinants of wellness, according to WHO (2004), state that the social conditions in which people hold up greatly affect their chances of creation healthy. For the purpose of this assignment, this writer has chosen to critically analyse how the following determinants of health (1) Social Exclusion (2) Community Support, and Employment, impact the lives and health of people living with a genial health condition. This student will then attempt to critically discuss the political actions that gull been taken to address these inequities as experienced by this social group.Raphael (2008) and WHO (2008) state that social determinants of health are the socio-economic circumstances which affect the health of individuals, communities and jurisdictions as a whole and the conditions in which people are born, grow, live work and age, including the health system.The Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2009) deliver t hree recommendations, (1) to improve daily living conditions, (2) to tackle the inequitable distribution of power, silver and resources, and (3) to measure and understand the problem and assess the impact of action, in order to improve health function for all. The Ameri back Psychology Association (APA) and WHO define psychic health as A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, suffice in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life.2. Social Determinants of Mental Health and Their ConsequencesWhile checkup intervention can prolong life and improve outcomes later on serious unwellnesses, what is more important for the health of the population as a whole, are the combined social and economic factors that make people ill and in need of medical care in the first place. (WHO, 2003).2.1 Social ExclusionSocial exclusion is a vicious circle that deepens the predicament that people with a mental illness face. When a person is treated as less than equal, or excluded from society due to their illness, they will become even more psychologically damaged. This in turn will also affect their physical health and their perceived ability to function as a normal member of society. just about forms of social exclusion these people face are discrimination, stigmatisation, hostility and unemployment. Access to education or training programmes is hindered. Men and women that may have been institutionalised at some point, such as in childrens homes, psychiatric units and prison services are especially vulnerable to social exclusion.Supportive relationships makes people feel cared for, loved, see and valued. These are powerful factors for a positive impact on mental health. People who do not get enough social and emotional moderate from those around them are more likely to experience mental and physical health difficulties. The quality of social relationships, the existen ce of trust and mutual respect cooperate to protect a persons sense of self. Some experiments have even found that good social relations can reduce the physiological effects of distort on the body. This is important in relation to cardiovascular and immune system function, which are both directly affected when the stress-response fight or flight is ever activated.Unemployment only serves to reinforce anxiety and depression in the mentally ill. Financial worries, combined with feelings of worthlessness and inability to contribute to society increases stress, worry and inability to cope. These insecurities and frustrations can affect the relationships with friends and family members, further isolating them from the social network that they are reliant on in order to stay well.Before the 1945 Mental Treatment Act, no policies had been implemented since Victorian times, which saw Fools, Lunatics and the Mad incarcerated in penal institutions or asylums. With this Act and the establis hment of the Irish Free State, the nomenclature associated with insanity and the insane began to change, albeit gradually. Asylums became hospitals, hallucination was renamed Mental Illness and Lunatics were now called Patients. A shift towards a more psychodynamic approach to recovery began to emerge.The first comprehensive report specifically addressing the needs of the mentally ill was the Commission of Inquiry on Mental Illness in 1961. The final report was released in 1966. Segregation from society, separation from other patients and staff members and sort according to social status and illness was still prevalentIn relation to the 1945 Mental Treatment Act, Irish medical legal expert Deirdre craze questions the definition of competence, regarding a persons capacity to understand, use and weigh consequences of their decisions. Outside the Mental Health Act 2001, there is no legal assessment in Ireland for find out competence. Donnelly 200250. Van Dokkum (2005) states the me dical profession would use a status approach which is essentially a label and be done with it approach rather than a fairer relative capacity approach.The Mental Health Commission acknowledge that some of the recommendations in this policy have been implemented, such as child and adolescent services, the finalising of mental health catchment areas and the progress in the appointment of leadership structures both nationally and regionally.However, the inspector of Mental Health Services has been critical of the HSE to appoint a Mental Health Directorate, arguing that a well-run, accountable and partly autonomous division would be budget beneficial and improve outcomes. This report goes on to state that a change is required in how mental health services are delivered and in how we think about mental health itself. Mental health services should focus on the possibility of recovery.In 2009, this group published a report entitled Third Anniversary of AVision for Change Late for a rattl ing Important Date. They state that reform has been painfully slow and despite statements of support from Government and the HSE, basic systems to promote reform are not in place, targets have not been met and development funding has all but ceased.Irelands mental health expenditure has dropped from 13% of the national health budget in 1984 to 7.34% to date. The economic cost of mental health problems are considerably large, most of these costs being encurred through loss of jobs and absence from work due to ill health. They state that press clipping the health budget in relation to mental health provision is short-sighted as the cost of providing preventative and screening services is modest in comparing to the socio-economic costs as listed above.There have been many positive campaigns in recent years to highlight mental health issues. However, according to Mental Health Ireland, mental health promotion remains the most underdeveloped area of health promotion. The WHO states tha t strengthening mental health promotion is necessary to achieve accredited reform. Some of these positive health campaigns include Beat the Blues Aware, Mental Health Matters Mental Health Ireland, Reach Out National Strategy on Suicide Prevention and Please Talk campaigns run by The Samaritans.Although many inequities of mental health service provision have been addressed with the slaying of organization policies in recent years, we have a long way to go before social integration and inequalities are recognised. A very significant meter forward has been the establishment of the Mental Health Commission. McAuliffe et al. The biggest challenge will be to establish social support networks in relation to mental health. Kelly 2003. If mental health becomes more of an everyday issue, affecting us all, then the stigma surrounding it will be alleviated.While Irish society faces many economic challenges in the future, establishing a more aware, mentally healthier community will provid e better coping mechanisms for those affected by these issues.Moving away from the current medical model of psychiatry and drug-based therapies to a more holistic all-inclusive biopsychosocial approach is a key element in addressing inequities relating to mental health care. Sociology shows how mental illness is socially patterned, which suggests the importance of the social environment to mental well-being. Implementation of the community care model has proven to be a slow process and its implementation needs to be critically readdressed to recognise the needs of those with chronic mental illness and not just of those who are acutely ill. Hyde et al (2005).