Social Determinants of Health

Course Overview: Despite frequent references to the importance of addressing the social determinants of health in Canadian governmental and institutional documents and reports, actual activity that does so lags far behind in Canada as compared to other nations. There are various reasons why this is the case and these include the contested notion of the social determinants of health concept, prevailing understandings as to the nature of health held by Canadians, and unique Canadian economic and political structures and processes. This workshop will identify various means of addressing the social determinants of health and how these barriers to action can be overcome. Learning Objectives: By the completion of the workshop, participants will be able to: Communicate the relevant evidence of how the social determinants of health are the primary predictors of health outcomes across the life-span. Identify how differing ways of thinking about the social determinants of health shape the actions taken by governing authorities, public health and social service agencies. Apply various models of community action and public policy change to take action on the social determinants of health. Respond to the various barriers to taking action on the social determinants that exist at the micro- meso- and macro-level. This is part of the Professional Development Program at the Faculty of Social Work. For more information: http://ucalgary.ca/pd

Location:

MacEwan Student Centre

Speaker:

Dennis Raphael, PhD, is a Professor of Health Policy and Management at York University in Toronto. Dr. Raphael is editor of Social Determinants of Health: Canadian Perspectives, co-editor of Staying Alive: Critical Perspectives on Health, Illness, and Health Care and author of Poverty in Canada: Implications for Health and Quality of Life, all published by Canadian Scholars’ Press. Health Promotion and Quality of Life in Canada: Essential Readings, an edited collection was released in January 2010 and About Canada: Health and Illness is published by Fernwood Publishers. His latest book Tackling Health Inequalities: Lessons from International Experiences was published in 2012.

More information at http://www.ucalgary.ca/events/calendar/social-determinants-health