Personal Social-Ecological Health Map

Slide/Poster

The social ecological-model can be referred to as a theory-based framework that helps in understanding, addressing and exploring the social factors act as determinants of health at many levels. This model suggests not to focus only on individual behavior rather, it encourages understanding the factors that influences health outcomes.

Individual Characteristics

Risk Factors

Trauma due to elder maltreatment
Lack of motivation regarding proper health practices

Protective Factors

Positive self-image
Effective self-control

Potential Impacts

Development of anxiety issues due to trauma
Deterioration of general health
Positive self image ay help building protection against harm upon self esteem leading to depression like symptoms
Health deteriorating factors can be eliminated through effective self control

Community' Characteristics

Risk factors

Lack of healthcare services
Socio-economic uncertainty
Lack of educational opportunity

Protective Factors

Increased employment opportunity
Positive outlook towards proper housing and water supply

Potential Impacts

Lack of health care service availability increases the risk of deterioration of a chronic health condition
Lack of educational opportunity could lead to decreased possibility of employment
Improved housing may enhance the living

Relationship Characteristics

Risk Factors

Inadequate treatment and childhood abuse
Lack of parental involvement
Violence in neighborhood

Protective Factors

Effectively developed peer relationship
Sociability

Potential Impacts

The incident of trauma may impact in long term upon relationship development
Potential for developing stress and anxiety symptoms
Effective social support will help managing emotional turmoils.

Societal Characteristics

Risk Factors

Lack of control over home life
Peer influence and substance abuse

Protective Factors

Encouragement from the educators
Regular visit to local NGOs

Potential Impacts

High risk of developing cardiovascular disease
Meaning to life through encouragement of educators
Development of skills in taking care of needy people through regular NGO visits

Narrated discussion component:

Factors that are responsible for influencing the metal and physical health status and wellbeing are interconnected and produce the results upon health all over (Keeler et al., 2019). For instance, an employed individual not just getting paid for leading a standard life style, they are also able to have a purpose for their lives. The social-ecological framework is applied to measure impacts of different factors upon health and wellbeing in the context of personal life.

It has been identified that personal or individual characteristics are responsible for influencing both the physical and mental health. For instance, as identified in the current context, I have developed trauma due to incidents of elder maltreatment at the childhood. Wold & Mittelmark, (2018) found a significant relationship between childhood trauma and development of anxiety related issues those impacts upon over all mental wellbeing. However, development of positive self image and effective self control may work as protecting factors for preventing harm upon the self esteem which is a major cause of being affected by depression or other related mental health issues. It is also identified that from the analysis of social factors that there was a peer influence upon me in involving in substance abuse. This may create serious negative impact upon physical health. For instance, continuation of the abuse might help cardiovascular disease grow.

Community characteristics have also been observed to have high impact upon the individual wellbeing. As a result of residing in remote areas, I have faced issues such as lack of access to the healthcare services. Issues such as hearing problem and running ear problems could not be effectively addressed due to which severe hearing impairment could take place (Victoria State Government, 2020). The socio-economic uncertainty reduced the likelihood of getting educational opportunity along with lowering the quality of life. As a result of this, chronic health conditions could be experienced by me. The lack of educational opportunity surely created uncertainty to my employment. However, there were some positive factors protecting such as increased employment opportunity due to persistence in achieving educational qualification which is indicative of better quality of life (Healthy People, 2020). For instance, proper housing and water supply can be ensured which will reduce the chances of negative impacts on physical and mental health. Enhanced standard of living will ensure better access to the effective healthcare service which will help mitigating health related issues at an earlier stage.

Another major factor that plays an important role in influencing the mental and physical wellbeing of an individual is relationship factors. As mentioned by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), as a social being human experience dynamic relationship with the people in surrounding environment. There are also some factors identified in the context of current study that includes inadequate treatment from the elders and childhood abuse. This could have serious impact upon the capacity to develop relationship with others. Apart from that violence in the neighborhood may also create difficulties in building trustworthy relationship with people. However, my innate characteristics of sociability have helped me to overcome these negative impacts of the mentioned risk factors. As I have effective social support, it will be helpful in managing the emotional turmoil faced in future.

Apart from relationship characteristics, societal characteristics are also required to be highlighted here as they also play a significant role in developing perceptual basis of the person. I had a lack of control over my home life due to which easily influenced towards substance abuse. However, I have been encouraged by some of the peers or friends to develop protective measure against health outcomes of substance abuse (McCormack et al., 2017). I have also involved in conducting research about how the issue can be handled in future. The substance abuse could result in serious health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, I have started visiting local NGOs that are working with people suffering from substance dependence. I have continued interacting with them to gain insight about how the influence can be avoided and a healthy life style can be established.

Reference List for Narratives of Illness and Wellbeing

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2020). The Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention. Retrieved on 31 August 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/publichealthissue/social-ecologicalmodel.html

Healthy People, (2020). Determinants of Health. Retrieved on 31 August 2020, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Determinants-of-Health

Keeler, B. L., Hamel, P., McPhearson, T., Hamann, M. H., Donahue, M. L., Prado, K. A. M., ... & Guerry, A. D. (2019). Social-ecological and technological factors moderate the value of urban nature. Nature Sustainability, 2(1), 29-38. Retrieved on 31 August 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Timon_McPhearson/publication/330422804_Keeler_et_al_2019_Nature_Sustainability_Supplementary_Infopdf/data/5c3f490c92851c22a3799006/Keeler-et-al-2019-Nature-Sustainability-Supplementary-Info.pdf

McCormack, L., Thomas, V., Lewis, M. A., & Rudd, R. (2017). Improving low health literacy and patient engagement: a social ecological approach. Patient education and counseling, 100(1), 8-13. Retrieved on 31 August 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Veronica_Thomas9/publication/304811963_Improving_Low_Health_Literacy_and_Patient_Engagement_A_Social_Ecological_Approach/links/5bed9e004585150b2bb9fc72/Improving-Low-Health-Literacy-and-Patient-Engagement-A-Social-Ecological-Approach.pdf

Victoria State Government, (2020). Wellbeing. Retrieved on 31 August 2020, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/wellbeing

Wold, B., & Mittelmark, M. B. (2018). Health-promotion research over three decades: The social-ecological model and challenges in implementation of interventions. Scandinavian journal of public health, 46(20_suppl), 20-26. Retrieved on 31 August 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1403494817743893

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