scholarly journals Learner Reactions to Activities Exploring Racism as a Social Determinant of Health

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-47
Author(s):  
Syeachia N. Dennis ◽  
Rachel S. Gold ◽  
Frances K. Wen

Background and Objectives: Racism’s impact on health has been well documented. Health professional programs are beginning to help learners understand this social determinant of health through curricular integration of education related to racism. Yet educators are hesitant to integrate these concepts into curricula because of lack of expertise or fear associated with learner responses to this potentially sensitive topic. The purpose of this study is to describe the responses of learners to learning sessions on racism as a social determinant of health (SDOH) highlighting structural, personally-mediated, and internalized racism. Methods: Two separate groups—a family and community medicine (FCM) residency program (N=23) and a community health leadership program (N=14)—participated in lectures and workshops on internalized, personally-mediated, and structural sources of racism, and tours introducing them to the local community’s historical roots of structural racism, including discussions/reflections on racism’s impact on health and health care. Mixed-methods evaluation consisted of learner assessments and reflections on the experiences. Results: FCM sessions received a positive reception with session averages of 4.15 to 4.75, based on a Likert-type scale (1=did not meet expectations to 5=exceeded expectations). Thematic analysis of community health leadership participant reflections showed thought processing connected to a better understanding of racism. Overall, themes from both programs reflected positive experiences of the sessions. Conclusions: Our preliminary study findings suggest that educators who encounter internal or external barriers to integrating racism-related concepts into curricula might find that these concepts are well received. This study lays the groundwork for further research into best practices for integration of curriculum on racism as an SDOH for medical schools, residency programs, and other related educational settings.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Maslowsky ◽  
C. Emily Hendrick ◽  
Haley Stritzel

Abstract Background Early childbearing is associated with adverse health and well-being throughout the life course for women in the United States. As education continues to be a modifiable social determinant of health after a young woman gives birth, the association of increased educational attainment with long-term health for women who begin childbearing as teenagers is worthy of investigation. Methods Data are from 301 mothers in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 who gave birth prior to age 19. We estimated path models to assess women’s incomes, partner characteristics, and health behaviors at age 40 as mediators of the relationship between their educational attainment and self-rated general health at age 50. Results After accounting for observed background factors that select women into early childbearing and lower educational attainment, higher levels of education (high school diploma and GED attainment vs. no degree) were indirectly associated with higher self-rated health at age 50 via higher participant income at age 40. Conclusions As education is a social determinant of health that is amenable to intervention after a teen gives birth, our results are supportive of higher educational attainment as a potential pathway to improving long-term health outcomes of women who begin childbearing early.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederik Booysen ◽  
Ferdi Botha ◽  
Edwin Wouters

AbstractSocial determinants of health frameworks are standard tools in public health. These frameworks for the most part omit a crucial factor: the family. Socioeconomic status moreover is a prominent social determinant of health. Insofar as family functioning is poorer in poor families and family structure and functioning are linked to health, it is critical to consider the pathways between these four constructs. In this correspondence, we reflect on how empirical studies of this conceptual nexus mirror two causal models. We conclude by reflecting on future directions for research in this field.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. JMECD.S37986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberley D Ivory ◽  
Paul Dwyer ◽  
Georgina Luscombe

Training medical students to understand the effects of culture and marginalization on health outcomes is important to the future health of increasingly diverse populations. We devised and evaluated a short training module on working with diversity to challenge students’ thinking about the role of both patient and practitioner culture in health outcomes. The workshop combined didactic teaching about culture as a social determinant of health using the cultural humility model, interactive exercises, and applied theater techniques. We evaluated changes in the students’ perceptions and attitudes over time using the Reaction to Diversity Inventory. There was initial significant improvement. Women and students with no past diversity training responded best. However, scores largely reverted to baseline over 12 months.


Medical Care ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa L. McCarthy ◽  
Zhaonian Zheng ◽  
Marcee E. Wilder ◽  
Angelo Elmi ◽  
Paige Kulie ◽  
...  

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Rodriguez ◽  
Ashish Sarraju ◽  
Mintu P. Turakhia

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