What is the difference between health inequalities and health determinants?

[silvestr]

What exactly are health inequalities and health determinants, and how are they linked to each other?

[RN]

Determinants of health (or health determinants) as the name implies are factors that determines health.  They are sometimes called, the causes of the causes.  For instance, educational level, income, employment status, social status, physical environment, social environment, genetic endowment.  Since this are factors that determines health, they may have positive or negative influences on health.  For instance, if you are sick, but you are rich, you are probably more likely to be able to buy buy medications easily; hence, you see the positive inflence of income on health.  On the other hand, if you are sick and are very poor and cant buy your medication, then income may have negative influences of income on health.


Health inequities are disparities (or differences) in health status of populations.  This may result from negative influnces of determinants of health or from issues of lack of access.  As it relates to immigrant population, I encourage you to google "Healthy Immigrant Effect" and see what you find.

Good luck.