Week #11

Question 1

How does childhood SES influence adult health?

Answer 1

childhood socioeconomic status => physical/ psychosocial environmental exposures =>mechanisms =>adult physical health outcomes

Question 2

explain Physical environmental exposures

Answer 2

1. home
   - housing quality
   - crowding
   - toxic exposures
2. neighborhood
   - air and water quality
   - condition of public spaces
   - noise
   - food options
3. school
   - conditions of buildings and grounds

Question 3

explain mechanisms that result from physical environment

Answer 3

1. psychological
   - language/reading impairment
   - hyperactivity
   - aggression
   - social withdrawal
2. health behaviour
   - physical activity goes down
   - sedentary activity increases
   - poor diet
3. physiological
   - cell/molecular damage
   - physiological/dysregulation
   - increased exposure to infection

Question 4

explain psychosocial environmental exposures

Answer 4

1. home
   - risky families
   - nonfamily presence
   - parent health habits
2. neighborhoods
   - crime
   - violence
   - social capital
3. school
   - social climate
   - presence of order
   - quality of education

Question 5

explain mechanisms resulting from psychosocial environmental exposures

Answer 5

1. psychological
   - stress/negative affect
   - emotional regulation
   - relationship formation
   - mastery/control
2. health behaviour
   - decreased preventative care, health promoting behaviours
   - increased substance use
3. physiological
   - physiological dysregulation
   - altered cortical development

Question 6

explain the healthy immigrant effect

Answer 6

Recent immigrants have better health

But, the longer in the country, health more similar to the rest of population

Question 7

why are new immigrants healthier?

Answer 7

Healthier people choose to immigrate
Policy explanation: medical assessment
–endanger health of others
–demand on services

Question 8

Why does immigrant health decline?

Answer 8

1. Health behaviour explanation
2. Social and economic resources
   - Relative deprivation
   - racism

Question 9

what is racism

Answer 9

A system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on a characteristic (“race” or “ethnicity”)

Unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities
Unfairly advantages others

Question 10

what is the relationship between racism and health

Answer 10

Reduces educational attainment and economic resources

Chronic strain

Question 11

How is aboriginal health?

Answer 11

• Lower levels of education:
• Lower levels of income
  half of children below poverty line
  half live on less than $12,000/year
• Unemployment rates high

Housing
- only 56% adequate housing

Sanitation
- only 33% of Aboriginal communities

Smoking
- 62% on reserve double the rate for nonAboriginals

Drinking / drugs
- problem in 75% / 60% of communities

Question 12

what is aboriginal healthcare characterized by

Answer 12

Geographic isolation
Shortage of personnel

=
Infectious disease

More chronic illness

Mental health concerns

Question 13

Explain gender and health

Answer 13

Women live longer than men

Die from same diseases – heart disease, cancer, lung disease

“Women get sicker, but men die quicker”

Question 14

explain life expectancy and gender

Answer 14

Overall, 2012:  81.24 years
1990:  77
1921:  57
Women:  84
Men:  80

Question 15

disability free life expectancy

Answer 15

Years of remaining life free of disability

At age 65:
men, 8 years out of 16
women, 9 years out of 20

Question 16

dependence free life expectancy

Answer 16

Number of years of remaining life free of dependence on others for daily tasks

years in state of dependence: men 3.4, women 6.4

** women spend more years dependent on others

Question 17

Gender differences in mental health

Answer 17

women – depression, anxiety

men – substance abuse, suicide

Question 18

Gender differences in violence

Answer 18

women – in the home

men – on the street

Question 19

why does the health of men and women differ

Answer 19

1. Structural inequalities
2. Social roles and the gendered experience of health and illness
   a. Role strain hypothesis
   b. Social acceptability hypothesis
   Women cautious and share concerns
   Use heath care
   Men more likely to be risk takers
   c. Nurturant hypothesis
3. Biological differences
   e. g. sex ratio at birth