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SDoH

A Social Determinant of Health is what you do and live everyday that directly impacts your health. Many times, we are unaware of how our environment shapes our overall health, therefore, the conditions worsen or go unresolved.
For example, in the TED Talk, a patient named Veronica was asked about her home situation and whether or not she had mold, insects, and/or water leaks. After admitting to all three issues, Dr. Manchanda was able to conclude her chronic allergies and migraines were a direct result from her living situation and environment. With the help of a community specialist, they were able to do what they could to help relieve the symptoms by altering from home. In return, her chronic symptoms improved and even helped with her children’s asthma, creating an improved overall mental state for the whole family as well.
Social Determinants of Health play a huge role not only in our physical health, but our cognitive/mental health as well. If an individual is living in a dangerous neighborhood, they may experience depression or anxiety of the unknown and/or fear of being in a bad situation. Therefore, these thoughts and feelings begin to follow the person out into the community where they work, play, and socially interact.
I believe there is a lot of social determinants that go unnoticed and underestimated. Our job as future OT practitioners is to be active listeners and ask the questions that matter.
UTHSC requires professional and community service hours for their students in order to encourage and promote engagement and awareness in their profession and community. This requirement results in an increased awareness of social, economical, and ethical issues that are present in their environment that will better help us serve and treat our patients.

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