BC Council for Families

Focusing on strategies to improve the health status of the population as a whole

The BC Council for Families accepts the definition of health that broadly defines “health” as overall well-being and the capacity to reach individual physical, emotional, spiritual and mental potential, rather than merely the absence of illness. This approach recognizes that health is determined not only by access to health care services, but also by complex interactions among individual characteristics, social factors, economic conditions and physical environments.

As defined by Health Canada, the Determinants of Health include:

• Income and Social Status
• Social Support Networks
• Education
• Employment and Working Conditions
• Social Environments
• Physical Environments
• Biology and Genetic Empowerment
• Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills
• Healthy Child Development
• Health Services
• Gender and Culture.

A Determinants of Health approach focuses on strategies to improve the health status of the population as a whole. Unlike Western health care, which deals with individuals one at a time after they develop health problems, these new strategies emphasize prevention of potential problems. Many determinants fall outside the health care sector, resulting in new relationships and models for public policy which cut across sectoral lines of interest.

The Council's position on the Determinants of Health

The Council supports the Determinants of Health concept and promotes individual, family and community strategies to improve the health status of the population as a whole. The Council's position is built on extensive research and compelling evidence. The Determinants of Health concept echoes long-established themes of the Council, including the essential role of family, respect for diversity, the importance of parenting education and the value of risk prevention. The Determinants of Health which have particular relevance for the Council's vision, mission and core values are:

Social support networks
The Council believes that healthy families provide a foundation for healthy communities and society. In turn, the support that families require comes from healthy communities and a civic society. The Council is also committed to enhancing the capacity of communities and society to support families. The Council regards families as evolving, flexible, diverse and multi-generational.

Personal health practices and coping skills
The Council supports initiatives and public policies that encourage a change in attitudes and behaviours and that support individuals and families in adapting and maintaining healthy lifestyles.

Healthy child development
The Council supports the compelling evidence that early childhood care and experiences exert a powerful influence on life-long health. Society as a whole benefits when families provide nurturing environments for children during the crucial first years of life. Extra support is required for families who lack positive parenting role models or whose life circumstances limit their abilities as parents.

Employment and working conditions
Competing demands of home and workplace contribute to family stress. Most parents now work outside the home, and many juggle dual duties of caring for children and for their own aging parents. The Council urges shared responsibility among governments, employers, communities and families to find creative solutions to this complex challenge. The Council also endorses action to expand employment opportunities and to implement family-friendly workplace practices.

Gender and culture
The Council believes that gender and culture often create obstacles to social networks, employment and other factors that influence health. The Council promotes polices and practices that acknowledge and accept diversity and that prevent discrimination and inequity.

References

Towards a common understanding: clarifying the core concepts of population health, Health Canada, December, 1996.

Evans, RG, Barer, ML, Marmor, TR. Why are some people healthy and others not? New York: Aldine De Gruyter, 1994.

A position paper of the BC Council for Families, issued April, 2000.