Module 4 Section 2

Question 1

closing the gap and the social determinants of health

Answer 1

• As you have learned, health inequities can arise because of inequities in the S D Hs. However, if we overcome the inequities in the S D Hs, then many of these health inequities and unequal health outcomes can be eliminated.
• In an attempt to determine the most effective way to mediate the effect of the S D Hs, the W H O created the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. In 2008, the commission called on the W H O and all governments to lead global action towards closing the health gap in a generation. The call to action was published in a report entitled Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health

Question 2

what did the commission on social determinants of health say

Answer 2

“Social justice is a matter of life and death. It affects the way people live, their consequent chance of illness, and their risk of premature death. We watch in wonder as life expectancy and good health continue to increase in parts of the world and in alarm as they fail to improve in others.”

Question 3

WHO closing the gap in a generation report (podcast)

Answer 3

• In the report Closing the Gap, the W H O’s commission found clear evidence of health inequity throughout the world.
• They identified key social determinants of health that are crucial to creating this gap in health

Question 4

WHO podcast introduction

Answer 4

• Host: Veronica Riemer.
• Topic: The WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.
• Message: Social justice is directly linked to health and life expectancy.
• Example: A child in Glasgow may live 28 years less than another child just a few kilometres away.
• Example: A girl in Lesotho may live 42 years less than a girl in Japan.
• Health disparities are not explained by biology, but by social environments (where people are born, live, work, and age).

Question 5

key perspectives from commissioners (podcast)

Answer 5

1. David Satcher (Center of Excellence on Health Disparities, USA)
   - Social determinants = social policies and conditions shaping daily life.
   - Health care access matters, but accounts for only ~15% of health outcomes.
   - Living without access to care makes healthcare itself a social determinant.
2. Denny Vågerö (Professor of Medical Sociology, Sweden)
   - Health is not only medical; it’s rooted in daily life experiences.
   - Calls for a shift: global health should be treated as seriously as poverty and climate change.
   - Warns: “Business as usual is not an option.” Everyone must be included.
3. Frances Baum (Professor of Public Health, Australia)
   - Health and well-being should be central goals of all government policies.
   - Health should measure how well society is functioning—globally and nationally.
   - Urges for greater equality between and within countries.
4. Ndioro Ndiaye (International Organization for Migration, Senegal)
   - Main goal: encourage governments to adopt multi-sectoral, integrated approaches.
   - Health ministries must collaborate with other sectors to build efficient systems.
   - Focus: policies that address the root social causes of poor health.
5. Mirai Chatterjee (Self-Employed Women’s Association, India)
   - Gender discrimination is a powerful determinant of health.
   - Women face barriers in access, status, safety, and work conditions.
   - Inequality and injustice keep people sick—collective organization and empowerment are essential for change.

Question 6

podcast conclusion

Answer 6

• The Commission stresses that inequality, injustice, poverty, and gender discrimination drive global health disparities.
• Addressing health requires more than medicine: it needs social, political, and economic reform.

Question 7

goals of closing the gap in a generation

Answer 7

The W H O is committed to the goal of closing global health gaps in one generation, and they propose three ways this can be accomplished.

Question 8

3 ways the global health gap can be closed

Answer 8

1. Improve Daily Living Conditions:
   - Improve the conditions in which people work and live, and implement a universal social protection policy to protect all individuals from insecure employment.
   - Also, improve the circumstances in which children are born, and put an emphasis on equal childhood development and education between boys and girls to promote lifelong health.
2. Address Inequalities in Power, Money, and Resources:
   - Address the inequalities that occur in the division of resources and power across the public and private sectors through effective health policy.
3. Measure and Understand the Problem and Assess the Impact of Action:
   - Increase global health research through implementing effective measurement of health and the social determinants of health, as well as evaluate the impact that policies have on health.

Question 9

5 areas that can be addressed to improve living conditions

Answer 9

• Equity from the Start
• Healthy Places, Healthy People
• Fair employment and healthy work
• Social protection throughout life
• Universal health care