Ageing Research at King's College London (ARK-AI)’s Post

We all know that inequalities impact on people's health. Whether we think in a global context, or in our own local communities, income, age, ethnicity, environment, education, work, access to services, access to care, and much else besides, can have a significant role in determining the quality of our health and wellbeing. At The University of Manchester we are committed to addressing health inequalities. Through our research and partnerships we are striving to make a difference, by directing the wealth of disciplines across the University to both understand, and crucially, tackle inequalities, and improve health outcomes. Learn more about how, through Healthier Futures at The University of Manchester, we are working to tackle #healthinequalities, and do get in touch to find out how we can work together.

How can #compassion help us change the economic system and achieve #wellbeing for all?   In this fairly quiet time of year, you might have time to catch-up on this insightful conversation hosted by ZOE Senior Fellow Dr Katherine Trebeck.   Compassion is about noticing, understanding and acting. Compassion is an important objective for the economy - to improve #QualityOfLife for more people and to make our societies healthier and happier.    Watch the conversation 👇 #WellbeingEconomy

Our health is shaped by the world around us 🌏 A secure job, a decent home, and freedom from poverty and discrimination are all building blocks that stack together to lead to an increased chance of living longer. When people see how jobs, homes, hardship and discrimination link to health, they are more likely to support, and demand, the policies and actions needed to start addressing these issues. So let's communicate about these wider determinants of health in ways that build understanding. Here is our recommendation, based on a 4-year research project testing the most effective ways to communicate about health: 💡 Use the ‘building blocks’ metaphor 💡 To explain the role of the wider determinants of health, we can compare building a healthy society with the process of constructing a sturdy building. A thriving community needs all the right building blocks in place: jobs, pay, housing, education. We can then explain health inequalities by talking about building blocks that are missing, or weak, and need replacing. Check out the full toolkit for more info, as well as examples of how to use this metaphor in practice: https://lnkd.in/eFtkvUVc

🌍🎓 Reflecting on our second day of the 12th Youth Pre World Health Assembly 2024 on Global Health Education track centered on planetary health 🔍 Throughout our discussion, key messages resonated deeply, emphasizing the intricate interplay between human health and the environment. We delved into the importance of understanding this interconnectedness, paving the way for exploring sustainable solutions to planetary health challenges. Moreover, we underscored the vital need for each of us to embrace a sense of responsibility for nurturing our planet's well-being, recognizing that our actions today shape the world for future generations. As we move forward, let's remain committed to our mission: to educate, advocate, and act for a healthier future, where the health of both people and planet thrives in harmony. Together, we can make a difference! #PlanetaryHealth #GlobalHealth #YouthPreWHA #Youth4Health🌿 Arwa Hany Inês Costa Louro

Age is not a barrier when it comes to making impact. Numerous young changemakers have contributed significantly to the growth and development of the global health space over the years. As we celebrate the #InternationalYouthDay today, we recognize the indelible impact of young people globally on healthcare and we say a big thank you! As young people, now is the most crucial time to start making safe choices regarding your health if you already haven’t committed to it. Remember that what you decide today will impact your future.

✴ AMAZING PAPER ALERT! ✴ At last, a useful, operationalizable definition of "structural determinants" that digs under the #SDOH to explain *why* those vital conditions (E.g. humane housing, meaningful work, reliable transportation, etc.) are not equitably distributed across our communities. The key: POWER. Structural determinants are the rules that create & maintain inequitable patterns of advantage. Those in power help (re)create & maintain those rules for their own group's benefit. To undo that advantage & create equal opportunity for health requires we engage in developing and advocating for policies that open up health opportunity for all. This resonates so much with the "co-developing evidence for policy action" mission of the AAMC Center for Health Justice! I'm excited to share this far & wide. Big kudos and thank you to the authors: Jonathan Heller, Marjory Givens, Sheri Johnson, David Kindig https://lnkd.in/eFWPTjEU #healthequity #healthjustice #structuraldeterminants #vitalconditions

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environment which people are born, live, learn, work, play, etc. that impacts a wide range of health and quality of life outcomes. This includes access to safe housing, transportation, education, job opportunities, nutritious foods, clean air & water, and health care. Take a look at how these factors intersect with one another through a public health lens, and how we can address these determinants to reduce disparities and improve the overall health of communities. This is the first part of our #SDOH series where we will explore each of these factors in more detail, with expert voices from the UW School of Public Health. #PublicHealth #SocialDeterminantsofHealth #HealthEquity

Socioeconomic Status is major contributor and complex determinant of health. Greater understanding of its role in health disparities and health outcomes is important in improving the health of everyone. I appreciate the #UWSchoolofPublicHealth for being a leader in the research of #SocialDeterminantsofHealth and health equity.

The health of the planet can be forecasted by the health of the populace. A community's health is based on many observable factors. There has been extensive research done, and studies produced that correlate the major influences on the health of a community. The past investigations gleaned information such as the link between maternal nutrition and babies' brain development, as well as linking asthma to particles created by pollution. However, there is a void in the research that correlates culture, epigenetics, and environmental racism exacerbated by zoning laws. These factors, added to the existing research and analyzed through an afrofuturistic lens, has the potential to provide different solutions. It is important to change our frame of reference to avoid assuming that the dominant culture is the baseline. By reviewing the data from the perspective of the underserved, a new picture can emerge. This proposal aims to study how healthcare practitioners, engineers, and policymakers can provide healthcare facilities within communities that will treat current illnesses and predict any future genetic mutations that lead to chronic diseases. The study will consult research studies, gather data, and perform interviews. The information will be analyzed from an afrofuturistic lens, meaning links and bonds will be allowed to form to create a complete, 3D picture of the past, present, and future. It will look at how access to clean air, water, and food affects the current and historic health of a community. Zoning laws, environmental racism, and infrastructure developments will also be studied to assess the impact of progress on the residents. Prolonged times of stress and cultural rituals will be researched to understand how the community uses traditions to alleviate their own pain. A thorough understanding of how these facets intersect can help engineers and healthcare workers facilitate policies that are based on research and lived experiences. For care to be truly holistic, healthcare policies must treat the person and not just the illness. With the data compiled, city planning can become a thoughtful exercise instead of a commercial exploitation. #sustainability #afrofuturism #environmentaljustice #communityhealth

There are social aspects to everyone's life that determine their health, and most of them depend on several factors like where you live, who your parents are, what schools you went to, etc. Not everyone is lucky enough to be born into situations that allow them to access things like healthcare, education, and a safe home. To learn more about these social determinants, read our blog by clicking below: #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #Poverty #MEDLIFEGlobalTopics