Submitted:
09 October 2023
Posted:
10 October 2023
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments that significantly influence the health of individuals and communities. Various factors like income, socio-economic status, stress, customs, culture, healthcare services largely affect the health status of individuals and communities. OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to identify the factors responsible for the social determinants of health among residents of Buari Ishola Isibo in Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross – sectional study was utilized, and multi-stage random sampling method was employed in selecting 60 households of Buari Ishola Isibo in Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. Questionnaire was used for data collection and data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. RESULTS: The respondents’ ages were between 15 – 60 years and above. 29 (48.3%) were between 31 – 60 years old, 31 (52.0%) were males, 40 (66.7%) were married, 57 (95.0%) were Islam and Yoruba. 29 (48.3%) earned 10,000 – 30,000 monthly, 23 (38.3%) had secondary school education, 39 (65.0%) were traders and 27 (45.0%) have 6 – 10 households respectively. Of the 60 respondents, 34 (56.7%) visit government health facility when they are sick, 21 (35.0%) make use of hand dug well in their compound as the source of their water supply, 27 (45.0%) uses flush water closet toilet as the means of disposing off their excreta, 36 (60.0%) lives in concrete with zinc roof house, 27 (45.0%) have between 6 – 10 rooms in their house, 55 (91.7%) sleep in a room and 21 (35.0%) make use of charcoal as source of fuel for their cooking. CONCLUSION: Poverty or lower income affects the health of individuals through a person’s health throughout their life span. Issues that affect social determinants of health of individuals and community in a negative way should be accosted with all seriousness.
Keywords:
assessment
; social
; determinants
; health
Introduction
Social determinants of health are conditions that significantly influence the health of individuals and communities. Various factors like income, socio-economic status, stress, customs, culture, healthcare services largely affect the health status of individuals and communities. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2008).
Health begins from our homes and communities. Healthy eating, physical activity, medical screening tests, visiting health care centres when will fall sick all affect our health and well-being. Our health is also influenced by socio-economic opportunities, available resources and supports in our homes, neighbourhood and community, family size, quality of education, safety at workplaces, the hygienic status of the water we drink, food we eat, air we breathe, and the quality of our social interaction and relationship (Dunn, J., 2000).
Our living conditions explain reasons why some individuals or communities are healthier than others. Resources that heighten quality of life can have substantial influence on the population health. Good housing, access to quality education, security, food, safe environment, medical and health services are some of the numerous resources that affect the health of individuals and the whole population at large. The determinants are: Environmental factors, lifestyles or individual ways of life, genetic factors, the health care system, the socio – economic status, level of education, family size etc. (Brunner, E., & Marmot, M. G., 2006).
The health status of the poor, social slope, and equalities in health between countries are as a result of inequality in power distribution, income, goods and services globally and nationally. The outcome of unfairness in the present, see-able conditions of people’s lives, access to health care services, education, employment, and relaxation conditions, homes, communities, towns, or cities and their opportunity of chairing a flourishing life (McGibbon, E., 2009). This inadequate distribution of health-damaging experiences and circumstance of daily life are all constituents of social determinants of health. (Schoen, C., & Doty, M. M., 2004).
Methods
Study area
The study was conducted in Ede North Township. Ede is one of the Local Government Area in Osun State situated in the south – west part of Nigeria and speaks Yoruba language. It is known as one of the ancient towns of the Yoruba people. Ninety percent of the population in Ede are Muslim. Ede is well known as land of hospitality.
Study population
The study population are made up sixty households in Buari Ishola Isibo Community of Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria.
Study design and sampling
Cross – sectional descriptive method was used, and systematic sampling method was employed in selecting the respondents from Buari Ishola Isibo in Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria.
Data collection methods
Questionnaire was used for collecting data from the sampled population comprises of 60 respondents. The questionnaire comprises of two sections namely socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents and assessment of social determinants of health.
Data analysis
The result was analyzed using Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS) Version 21.
Ethical consideration
Letter of introduction was sought from the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Adeleke University, Ede. Approval to conduct the research in the community was also sought from Ede North Local Government Authority. Permission was obtained from the respondents before administering the questionnaire and confidentiality of all respondents was ensured.
Results
SECTION A: Socio – Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents (n = 60)
| Variables | Observable variables | Frequency (%) |
|
Age group (in years) |
15 – 30 | 19 (31.7%) |
| 31 – 60 | 29 (48.3%) | |
| Above 60 | 12 (20.0%) | |
| Gender | Male | 31 (52.0%) |
| Female | 29 (48.0%) | |
| Marital status | Single | 20 (33.3%) |
| Married | 40 (66.7%) | |
| Religion | Christianity | 3 (5.0%) |
| Islam | 57 (95.0%) | |
|
Ethnicity |
Yoruba | 57 (95.0%) |
| Others | 3 (5.0%) | |
|
Level of income |
<10,000 | 19 (31.7%) |
| 11,000 – 30,000 | 29 (48.3%) | |
| 31,000 – 50,000 | 9 (15.0%) | |
| 51,000 and above | 3 (5.0%) | |
| Educational level | No formal education | 17 (28.3%) |
| Primary | 6 (10.0%) | |
| Secondary | 23 (38.3%) | |
| Tertiary | 10 (16.7%) | |
| Quranic | 4 (6.7%) | |
| Occupation | Trading | 39 (65.0%) |
| Farmer | 4 (6.7%) | |
| Civil Servant | 3 (5.0%) | |
| Self – Employed | 5 (8.3%) | |
| Unemployed | 9 (15.0%) | |
| Household size | 0 – 5 | 24 (40.0%) |
| 6 – 10 | 27 (45.0%) | |
| 10 – 15 | 7 (11.7%) | |
| Above 15 | 2 (3.3%) | |
SECTION B: ASSESSMENT OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (n = 60)
| Variables | Frequency (%) | |
| In case of ill health, where do you get care? | Traditional health practitioners | 6 (10.0%) |
| Chemist/drug store | 6 (10.0%) | |
| Government health facility | 34 (56.7%) | |
| Private health facility | 14 (23.3%) | |
| What is the source of water supply? | Rain | 5 (8.3%) |
| Hand dug well in the compound | 21 (35.0%) | |
| Motorized hand dug well in the compound | 1 (1.7%) | |
| Public well | 3 (5.0%) | |
| Community borehole | 30 (50.0%) | |
| What methods of excreta disposal do you use? | Private pit latrines | 12 (20.0%) |
| Public pit latrines | 10 (16.7%) | |
| Near bush | 5 (8.3%) | |
| Stream and drainage | 6 (10.0%) | |
| Flush water closet toilet | 27 (45.0%) | |
| What type of house do you live in? | Mud with thatch roof | 7 (11.7%) |
| Mud with zinc roof | 16 (26.7%) | |
| Concrete with thatch roof | 1 (1.7%) | |
| Concrete with zinc roof | 36 (60.0%) | |
| How many rooms are in the household? | 1 – 5 | 26 (43.3%) |
| 6 – 10 | 27 (45.0%) | |
| 10 above | 7 (11.7%) | |
| How many sleeps in a room? | 1 – 3 | 55 (91.7%) |
| 4 – 6 | 5 (8.3%) | |
| What type of cooking fuel do you use? | Firewood | 12 (20.0%) |
| Kerosene | 18 (30.0%) | |
| Charcoal | 21 (35.0%) | |
| Cooking gas | 9 (15.0%) | |
| How many windows are in each room? | 1 – 2 | 60 (100.0%) |
| Any other members of the household working? | Yes | 34 (56.7%) |
| No | 26 (43.3%) | |
Discussion
Socio – Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents
The age of the respondents was between 15 – 60 years and above. 29 (48.3%) were between 31 – 60 years old, 31 (52.0%) were males, 40 (66.7%) were married, 57 (95.0%) were Islam and Yoruba. 29 (48.3%) earned 10,000 – 30,000 monthly, 23 (38.3%) had secondary school education, 39 (65.0%) were traders and 27 (45.0%) have 6 – 10 households respectively.
Assessment of Social Determinants of Health
Of the 60 respondents, 34 (56.7%) visit government health facility when they are sick, 21 (35.0%) make use of hand dug well in their compound as the source of their water supply, 27 (45.0%) uses flush water closet toilet as the means of disposing off their excreta, 36 (60.0%) lives in concrete with zinc roof house, 27 (45.0%) have between 6 – 10 rooms in their house, 55 (91.7%) sleep in a room and 21 (35.0%) make use of charcoal as source of fuel for their cooking.
Conclusion
Poverty or lower income affects the health of individuals through a person’s health throughout their life span. This condition to a large extent shapes the health of mostly the infants and children throughout their lifetime. Economic disadvantages and adversity during childhood have been established to be important factors for health of adult with economic hardship they go through during their childhood which resulted in higher risk of poor health during adulthood stage.
Children living in poor families coupled with lower incomes are deprived having access to education, healthcare service, and healthy living status are more susceptible to various diseases and injuries due to accidents. Issues that affect social determinants of health of individuals and community in a negative way should be tackled with all seriousness.
Acknowledgements
I appreciate the support and efforts of everyone that partook in this study.
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