Social Determinants of Health in Violence Against Essay

One of the social determinants of health in women who have experienced violence is income and social status. It has been established that high social and economic status is linked to good health. In women who have experienced violence, their income and social status are negatively affected in many ways thus adversely affecting their health. For instance, violence against women lead to loss of wages, additional expenditure to cater for the victim of violence, increased dependence on food banks, decreased income of the children's women who are violated against because of the long-term adverse physical and mental health effects, and stigmatization (Morris, 2016).

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Another social determinant of health in women who have experienced violence is education and literacy. It has been established that the health status of an individual is enhanced with an increased level of education. Violence against women negatively affects education and literacy by making most of the of the affected households miserable and fearful places which do not allow children to focus on their education. Also, violence against women creates trauma and mental health problems among them and their children thus adversely affecting their long-term capacity for studying and learning (Onyskiw, 2003). Moreover, due to hospitalization, victims of violence have been reported to have the highest rates of truancy (Morris, 2016).

Employment and working conditions have also been reported to be social determinants of health in women who have undergone violence. Violence against women adversely affect employment and working conditions is through increased absenteeism from the workplace. Perpetrators of violence against women have also been found to control women by hindering them from keeping or finding work. The affected women are also likely to be fired from their workplace because of low productivity, low motivation levels, high absenteeism, and poor working relations with their colleagues. Also, violence has been reported to spill into the workplace when perpetrators show up. Lastly, violence against women makes some offices feel unsafe for women because of the increased risk of harassment and violence (Morris, 2016).

Social environments and community services are other social determinants of health in women who have experienced violence (Morris, 2016). Violence against women negatively affects social environments by putting pressure on services that respond to the needs of the affected children and women. It also puts pressure on communities, families, and friends of the survivors who may not be knowledgeable in effective ways of responding to violence.

Another important social determinant of health in women victims of violence is health services. Violence against women impairs with health services by leading to a reoccurrence of injuries which need to be treated over and over. Additionally, violence against women leads to elevated health costs because the mental and physical injuries have to be continuously treated, especially where there is a recurrence of violence. Lastly, it has been reported that violence against women leads to the death of the victims even before getting health services (Morris, 2016).

Conclusion

Women and children's physical environments, another social determinant of health, are also undermined by violence against women in many ways. First, it makes the home dangerous for the affected women and children. Secondly, it limits the choices of women. That is, the affected women have the option of either staying with the perpetrator of violence or face homelessness. In some cases, women are only left with the choice of living in unhealthy or inadequate housing (Morris, 2016).

References

Morris, M. (2016). A brief on the impact of A Blueprint for Canada's National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Girls on the health of Canadians through the lens of the social determinants of health. Canadian Network of Women's Shelters & Transition Houses.

Onyskiw, J. E. (2003). Domestic violence and children's adjustment: A review of research. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 3(1-2), 11-45.