The social determinants of health are the social, economic, and political conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These conditions greatly determine the health and well-being of citizens (Islam, 2019). According to the authors, society should have a favorable set of social resources, such as nutrition, education, health care, healthy environments, and employment, distributed equally among the population. However, poor policies combined with unfair economic arrangements and poor governance can lead to poor conditions that harm people’s health and well-being. For its part, healthy aging can be defined as the ability to maintain well-being and functionality in old age, allowing people to carry out the activities they value. This process will be influenced by the interaction between the physical and cognitive abilities of older adults as well as by social and environmental factors, that is the social determinants of health (Robles et al., 2023). According to the authors, the healthy aging of older adults can be seriously damaged by poverty, which influences other social and environmental determinants. Therefore, we must be aware that social determinants of health strongly impact the healthy aging of older adults living in poverty. A poor economic situation of older adults prevents them from accessing key resources such as adequate food, medical care, medications, or decent housing, harming their health and well-being. Dobarrio-Sanz et al. (2023) suggest that poverty in older adults affects both their physical and mental health. Additionally, it is associated with increased disability, anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline, which can limit your ability to actively participate in society. Poverty is also associated with malnutrition, higher rates of hospitalizations and mortality, greater functional limitations, as well as a higher prevalence of chronic diseases.
Another social determinant of health that affects older adults living in poverty is low educational and health literacy levels. This can lead to difficulties in adopting healthy lifestyles and appropriately using healthcare services. Several studies have shown that older adults with a lower educational level and high levels of poverty have a worse quality of life (Schwartz et al., 2019). Also, the lack of social networks and community support contributes to isolation and depression among older adults in poverty. According to Goldman et al. (2023), the lack of social support in older adults can have negative repercussions for their health, including an increased risk of heart disease, a deterioration in cognitive functioning, and stroke, as well as an increase in the risk of depression. Limited access to health services is another of the social determinants that hit poor older adults hard. This worsens their health outcomes and increases their risk of disability. According to McMaughan et al. (2020), there is a strong relationship between socioeconomic status, healthy aging, and access to health care. Studies conducted globally show that poverty is linked to greater difficulties in accessing medical care, causing worse health outcomes and higher risks of premature death. It has been seen how poverty greatly affects social determinants, which translates into worse health conditions and quality of life among low-income older adults.
References
Dobarrio-Sanz, I., Chica-Pérez, A., Martínez-Linares, J. M., López-Entrambasaguas, O. M., Fernández-Sola, C., & Hernández-Padilla, J. M. (2023). Experiences of poverty amongst low‐income older adults living in a high‐income country: A qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(11), 4304-4317.
Goldman, A. S., Abbott, K. M., Huang, L., Naylor, M. D., & Hirschman, K. B. (2023). Changes in tangible social support over time among older adults receiving long-term services and supports. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 42(5), 981-991.
Islam, M. M. (2019). Social determinants of health and related inequalities: Confusion and implications. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 11.
McMaughan, D. J., Oloruntoba, O., & Smith, M. L. (2020). Socioeconomic status and access to healthcare: Interrelated drivers for healthy aging. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 231.
Robles, M. C., O’Brien, A., Islam, N., McBride, A. C., Corches, C. L., Mansour, M., Bailey, S., Thrash-Sall, E., & Skolarus, L. E. (2023). Exploring social determinants of health in healthy aging among older adults: A qualitative study. Progress in Community Health Partnerships,17(1), 71–78.
Schwartz, R. M., Bevilacqua, K. G., Alpert, N., Liu, B., Dharmarajan, K. V., Ornstein, K. A., & Taioli, E. (2019). Educational attainment and quality of life among older adults before a lung cancer diagnosis. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 23(4), 498-505.
