Communities in Action

Communities in Action

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2017-04-27

Total Pages: 583

ISBN-13: 0309452961

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.


Supporting Children and Their Families Facing Health Inequities in Canada

Supporting Children and Their Families Facing Health Inequities in Canada

Author: Miriam J. Stewart

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1487524072

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Bridging information gaps on health inequities faced by vulnerable children, adolescents, and families in Canada, this book informs readers of the key tools to promote productive, fulfilling lives of people managing prevalent health challenges.


Health Inequities in Canada

Health Inequities in Canada

Author: Olena Hankivsky

Publisher: UBC Press

Published: 2011-05-28

Total Pages: 414

ISBN-13: 0774819782

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

There is a growing recognition that existing theories on, and approaches to, health inequities are limited in their ability to capture how these inequities are produced through changing, co-constituted, and intersecting effects of multiple forms of oppression. Intersectionality responds to this problem by considering the interactions and combined impacts of social locations and structural processes on the creation and perpetuation of inequities. It offers unique insights into, and possible solutions to, some of Canada’s most pressing health disparities. This volume brings together Canadian activists, community-based researchers, and scholars from a range of disciplines to apply interpretations of intersectionality to health and organizational governance cases. By addressing specific health issues, this book advances methodological applications of intersectionality in health research, policy, and practice. Most importantly, it demonstrates that health inequities cannot be understood or addressed without the interrogation of power and diverse social locations and structures that shape lives and experiences of health.


Health and Health Care in Northern Canada

Health and Health Care in Northern Canada

Author: Rebecca Schiff

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2021-09-15

Total Pages: 451

ISBN-13: 1487514611

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Accounting for almost two-thirds of the country’s land mass, northern Canada is a vast region, host to rich natural resources and a diverse cultural heritage shared across Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents. In this book, the authors analyse health and health care in northern Canada from a perspective that acknowledges the unique strengths, resilience, and innovation of northerners, while also addressing the challenges aggravated by contemporary manifestations of colonialism. Old and new forms of colonial programs and policies continue to create health and health care disparities in the North. Written by individuals who live in and study the region, Health and Health Care in Northern Canada utilizes case studies, interviews, photographs, and more, to highlight the lived experiences of northerners and the primary health issues that they face. In order to maintain resilience, improve the positive outcomes of health determinants, and diminish negative stereotypes, we must ensure that northerners – and their cultures, values, strengths, and leadership – are at the centre of the ongoing work to achieve social justice and health equity.


Tackling Health Inequalities

Tackling Health Inequalities

Author: Dennis Raphael

Publisher: Canadian Scholars’ Press

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 343

ISBN-13: 1551304120

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Tackling Health Inequalities: Lessons from International Experiences provides a unique perspective on health inequalities in Canada and elsewhere. This exciting new volume brings together experiences from seven wealthy developed nations -- the United States, Australia, Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Sweden -- to analyze their contrasting approaches to reducing avoidable health problems. Some nations are successfully responding to health inequalities, but Canada and the United States are not among them. Why is this, and what can we learn from other nations? Through a political economy lens, Tackling Health Inequalities considers how societal structures and institutions shape the distribution of economic, political, and social resources that affect health disparities amongst the population. The volume then goes on to examine how governing authorities come to either confront or ignore these health inequalities and the conditions that create them. Through these illustrations, it encourages governing authorities that are tackling health inequalities to continue their efforts and directs those that are not -- such as in Canada and elsewhere -- towards what must be done. This groundbreaking text shows the primary lessons from these international experiences: that citizens in Canada and elsewhere need to educate themselves about the importance of tackling health inequalities, and then build the political and social movements that will compel governmental authorities to take action. This volume will serve as a rich resource for professionals and general readers interested in health studies, nursing, social work, public policy, and political economy.


About Canada

About Canada

Author: Dennis Raphael

Publisher: Fernwood Publishing

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 9781552663752

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Most Canadians believe that their health is shaped by luck, genetics, lifestyle choices, and treatment options--and government agencies, public health units, and disease associations all reinforce this perception. This study, however, tells a different story, arguing that it is the social determinants of health, as imposed by the financial markets, that dictate the health of Canadians today. Showing that health care can be greatly improved with simple changes to social policy, the discussion describes the impact of food, housing, employment, education, and social services on the nation`s health.


Health Promotion in Canada

Health Promotion in Canada

Author: Irving Rootman

Publisher: Canadian Scholars

Published: 2017-11-10

Total Pages: 516

ISBN-13: 1773380060

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Health Promotion in Canada is a comprehensive profile of the history, current status, and future of health promotion in Canada. This fourth edition maintains the critical approach of the previous three editions but provides a current and in-depth analysis of theory, practice, policy, and research in Canada in relation to recent innovative approaches in health promotion. Thoroughly updated with 15 new chapters and all-new learning objectives, the edited collection contains contributions by prominent Canadian academics, researchers, and practitioners as well as an afterword by Ronald Labonté. The authors cover a broad range of topics including inequities in health, Indigenous communities and immigrants, mental health, violence against women, global ecological change, and globalization. The book also provides critical reflections on practice and concrete Canadian examples that bring theory to life.


Social Determinants of Health

Social Determinants of Health

Author: Toba Bryant

Publisher:

Published: 2020-08-10

Total Pages: 94

ISBN-13: 9780968348420

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The primary factors that shape the health of Canadians are not medical treatments or lifestyle choices but rather the living conditions they experience. These conditions have come to be known as the social determinants of health. This information - based on decades of research and hundreds of studies in Canada and elsewhere - is unfamiliar to most Canadians. Canadians are largely unaware that our health is shaped by how income and wealth is distributed, whether or not we are employed and if so, the working conditions we experience. Our health is also determined by the health and social services we receive, and our ability to obtain quality education, food and housing, among other factors. And contrary to the assumption that Canadians have personal control over these factors, in most cases these living conditions are - for better or worse - imposed upon us by the quality of the communities, housing situations, work settings, health and social service agencies, and educational institutions with which we interact. Improving the health of Canadians requires we think about health and its determinants in a more sophisticated manner than has been the case to date. Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts considers 17 social determinants of health: 1. Income and Income Distribution 2. Education 3. Unemployment and Job Security 4. Employment and Working Conditions 5. Early Child Development 6. Food Insecurity 7. Housing 8. Social Exclusion 9. Social Safety Net 10. Health Services 11. Geography 12. Disability 13. Indigenous Ancestry 14. Gender 15. Immigration 16. Race 17. Globalization The publication outlines why they are important; how Canada is doing in addressing them; and what can be done to improve their quality. The purpose of the document is to provide promote greater awareness of the social determinants of health and the development and implementation of public policies that improve their quality.


Determinants of Indigenous Peoples' Health, Second Edition

Determinants of Indigenous Peoples' Health, Second Edition

Author: Margo Greenwood

Publisher: Canadian Scholars

Published: 2018-04-25

Total Pages: 414

ISBN-13: 1773380370

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Now in its second edition, Determinants of Indigenous Peoples’ Health adds current issues in environmental politics to the groundbreaking materials from the first edition. The text is a vibrant compilation of scholarly papers by research experts in the field, reflective essays by Indigenous leaders, and poetry that functions as a creative outlet for healing. This timely edited collection addresses the knowledge gap of the health inequalities unique to Indigenous peoples as a result of geography, colonialism, economy, and biology. In this revised edition, new pieces explore the relationship between Indigenous bodies and the land on which they reside, the impact of resource extraction on landscapes and livelihoods, and death and the complexities of intergenerational family relationships. This volume also offers an updated structure and a foreword by Dr. Evan Adams, Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority. This is a vital resource for students in the disciplines of health studies, Indigenous studies, public and population health, community health sciences, medicine, nursing, and social work who want to broaden their understanding of the social determinants of health. Ultimately, this is a hopeful text that aspires to a future in which Indigenous peoples no longer embody health inequality.


Population Health in Canada

Population Health in Canada

Author: Ivy Lynn Bourgeault

Publisher: Canadian Scholars

Published: 2017-12-15

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 1773380095

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Drawing on the latest research and statistics, Population Health in Canada presents critical analyses of the most pressing population health equity issues in Canada. Comprising research papers and briefs written by some of the top scholars in the field, this edited collection illustrates fundamental concepts of population health, including social inclusion and exclusion, health as a public good, and the social determinants of health. The editors’ careful selection of the framework and contents has been designed to encourage a social justice lens to address health inequities that are systemic, socially produced, and unfair. Sections on methodological tools, population health equity, community action, and current issues introduce students to the components needed to understand population health in Canada. With an emphasis on theory, methods, interventions, policy, and knowledge translation, this timely volume is well suited to a variety of courses on population health in social science and health studies programs.