Social determinant of health are the conditions in which people are born, live, work, and age that affect health. (Healthy people 2020, 2011). For example, a person born into poor family and a poor community may be expose to poor sanitation, no proper education, no medical health care provided. In the 19 th century, outbreaks of infectious diseases such as typhoid, cholera and tuberculosis swept through crowded urban slums.
The cause of the outbreaks was link to filthy and substandard living condition. (Healthy people 2020, 2011) Health is determined in part by access to social and economic opportunities; the resources and support available in the community, the cleanliness of water, food and air, education, housing status, how much money a person earn and access to health care. Healthy people 2020 is emphasizing for communities to create social and physical environments that promote good health for all.
Communicable disease chain is an infectious disease transmissible from one person to another by direct contact with an affected individual. There are 6 links in which the infection can be transmitted which are the host, Agent, Reservoir, mode of escape, mode of transmission, mode of entry. By breaking this chain at any of the links, the spread of infection is stopped.
There are steps the nurse can take to break a link within the communicable disease by implementing standard precaution and infection control precaution. For example, a patient with infected wound ( MRSA) . The nurse can prevent outbreak by proper technique of hand washing, use personal protective equipment, enhancing environmental cleaning and disinfection, proper handling and disposal of wound dressings.
References
Social Determinant of healthy| healthy people 2020 , 2011
Concepts on communicable disease (n.d )