Today, you are introduced to the Social Determinant of Health (SDOH) perspective. This assignment responds to two questions, firstly “What is a SDOH perspective?” which will be explored in detail providing two examples of a Social Worker role. The second question requiring a critical discussion surrounding SDOH including “What benefits does a social determinants of health perspective provide, and what are its limits?”.

1. SWK2114 - Community Health and Wellbeing 2018, Assignment 1.
Introduction
Today, you are introduced to the Social Determinant of Health (SDOH) perspective. This
assignment responds to two questions, firstly “What is a SDOH perspective?” which will be
explored in detail providing two examples of a Social Worker role. The second question requiring
a critical discussion surrounding SDOH including “What benefits does a social determinants of
health perspective provide, and what are its limits?”. A majority of this research will be conducted
online through ECU world search, Google Scholar and the concepts and ideas explored throughout
the first 6 weeks of the SWK2114 - Community Health and Wellbeing unit at Edith Cowan
University.
What is a social determinant of health (SDOH) perspective?
Rine (2016) writes “an SDOH perspective seeks to address chronic social and environmental
contributors to health from a collaborative and holistic approach”. Bywaters (2007) supports the
holistic model for social work practice with the construct of a person’s social gradient of health, suggesting
the need to understand an individual’s entire life span to effectively identify, design and implement policies
which create opportunities and the conditions for equitable health. Petrakis and Lethborg states the social
worker role is increasing to cater for more work within the ambulatory care, seeing an increase private
practices, while there is still a strong focus on working with the most disadvantaged, the private sector
enables for delivering services via facilitating self-management programs, or co-delivering peer training
and contributing to the intervening in aged care. Bywaters (2007) also suggests this perception should
incorporate strategies which resonates with moving towards prevention and building resilience, through a
public health and entire life course approach.
Another role as a Social Worker could take a political stand such as the work implemented by the
AASW who have taken a stance on Aboriginal Health and Poverty, demonstrating the social link
between poverty and the low rate of Aboriginal Health and advocating for change (Petrakis and
Lethborg, )

2. To explore further in detail the perspective when delivering services, the perspective focuses on
one of two models, either the Health Education model which enables a social worker to issue
accurate information to enable people to make rationale decision making when approached with
choices, as cited in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Health Inequalities: International
Perspectives in Social Work (2015), the Health Promotion model is focused on achieving a healthy
lifestyle based on changes relating to the environment through the intervention and promotion of
firstly, the population approach which would include policy approaches, environmental strategies
and mass media, secondly, an individual approach targeted at print and internet based approaches
and finally setting based approach which explores the community, workplace and educational
settings as displayed by Salmon, J., Breman, R., Fotheringham, M., Ball, K., and Finch, C. (2000).
What benefits does a social determinant of health perspective provide and what are its limits?
The benefits of the SDOH perspective provides a broader perspection on contributing factors
associated with inequality and health related outcomes, whilst also enabling the development of
disadvantaged communities through a sociological context resulting in improved health outcomes.
This is supported by the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers (2016) which
suggests there are significant health benefits and the perspective reduces direct health costs and
contributes to an increased quality of life. According to the world health organisation the perception
provides the opportunities to enhance “health policies and decision-making, widening participation in
policy-making and implementation, improve health care and services, strengthening international
cooperation, and monitoring impact and progress” this definition seems to provide a deeper insight in terms
of a community context (WHO, 2018).
We can see that the benefits of SDOH perception enables improved health outcomes and reduces health
cost and enables a vast perception of contributing factors which influences inequality amongst the
population, the objective is to enhance “human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all
people” and as a Social Worker the goal is “empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and
living in poverty” (Rine, 2016). In response to Rine (2016) what are the basic human needs? Is this the
Maslow hierarchy of needs suggest this includes safety and physiological needs,yet cultural the definition
and needs are entire different for example, in Australia the Caucasian people have the expectation that
warmth comes from a structure built by materials within a socio-economic environment (Simply

3. Psychology, 2018). Australian Indigenous people traditionally have perceived warmth by utilizing the
natural environment resources, and animals, therefore the question remains what defines the basic needs in
order to establish wellbeing?
In terms of limits relating to the SDOH perspective this would be in relation to the policy and political
agenda, from the allocation the distribution of funding which, is limited considering the method of
spending is evaluated by efficiency-based rationales, equity-based rationales, and the value for money
within today’s society, as a result the minority and social disadvantaged are faced with inequalities
(WHO,Communicating the economics of social determinants of health and health inequalities, 2013).
While in terms of service delivery it would seem, apparent participation limits the ability to achieve
success,however as a Social Worker in Community Development this would require the ability to
motivate and inspire ownership by the community members, providing the opportunity to draw on
professional development in terms of building rapport skills and developing interpersonal and
communication techniques.
One example of this perspective is evident within Australia today, the implementation of the Basics
Card by the Department of Human Services to help disadvantaged community members the tools
to make more informed choices regarding the use of money for alcohol, tobacco, pornographic
material, gambling products, gift cards, home brew kits and concentrates as discussed in the
McDonald, Ballie and Michel (2013) text. However, if disadvantaged individuals are restricted
from accessing things within the community, would this not create a feeling of exclusion from the
other socioeconomic statuses in society would this not be a social justice and human rights issue?
Conclusion
Today we have explored the social determinant of health (SDOH) perspective, through a social
work approach, this resulted in the identification of sociological influences resulting in health-
related outcomes and discovered the roles in which a Social Worker delivers services utilizing the
SDOH perspective, while exploring the difference between Health Education and Promotion.
Before determining What benefits does a SDOH perspective provide and what are its limits, which
is the awareness of socially constructed situations and circumstances relating to inequality and
poor health related outcomes, while also contributing to the reduction of health costs within

4. society, the perception also assists with health policies and decision making within a community
context. Ultimately it is demonstrated that by improving social constructs results positively in
increased health outcomes and reduced costs to the health care and medical industries through
meeting the basic needs of human, however this is questioned what are basic needs of humans
living in Australia? Exploring the difference between Australian Caucasian and Indigenous
communities. We then look at the policy and political agendas displaying an example of the Basics
Cards which questions weather this community development policy is actually causing exclusion
and inequality.
References
AustralianMedical Association.(2007).Social Determinantsof Healthandthe Preventionof
HealthInequities.Retrievedfromhttps://ama.com.au/position-statement/social-
determinants-health-and-prevention-health-inequities-2007
Bywaters,P. (2007). TacklingInequalitiesinHealth:A Global ChallengeforSocial Work.The
BritishJournal of Social Work,Volume 39,Issue 2, 1 March 2009, Pages353–367,
https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcm096
Bywaters,P.,McLeod,E., & Napier,L.(2009). Social workand global healthinequalities:
Practice and policydevelopments(JSTOReBA).Bristol:PolicyPress.
Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual andTransHealthInequalities:International PerspectivesinSocial Work,
editedbyJulie Fish,andKate Karban,PolicyPress.(2015).Retrievedby ProQuestEbook
Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ecu/detail.action?docID=2005988.
Marmot, M., & Wilkinson,R.(2005).Introduction In(Ed.),Social Determinantsof
Health:OxfordUniversityPress.Retrieved6Aug.2018, from
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cprof-9780198565895-chapter-01.
McCloud,S. (2018) SimplyPsychology,Maslow Hierarchyof needs.Retrievedfrom
https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
McDonald,E., Bailie,R.,andMichel,T. (2013). Developmentandtrialingof atool to supporta

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NewfoundlandandLabradorAssociationof Social Workers.(2016).The Social Determinantsof
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Petrakis,M. (2018). Social Work Practice inHealth:Anintroductiontocontexts,theoriesand
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Salmon,J.,Breman,R.,Fotheringham,M.,Ball,K.,andFinch,C. (2000). Potential Approaches
for The PromotionOf Physical Activity - A Review Of The Literature.Retrievedfrom
www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/
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fromhttp://www.who.int/social_determinants/action_sdh/en/