Health & Society
Two communities have different health outcomes. One has access to quality housing, education, and employment, while the other lacks these resources and experiences higher illness rates
This relates to social determinants of health
A deafblind university student could not read the cafeteria menu because it was only available in printed form
This relates to the social model of disability
Susan developed long COVID and continued to experience fatigue, breathlessness, headaches, and memory problems that affected her daily activities
This relates to the lived experience of illness
A healer performs a limpia, a spiritual cleansing ritual meant to restore balance between the body, mind, and spirit
This relates to cultural healing practices
Health outcomes are influenced by the conditions people are born into, grow up in, live in, and work in, including access to education, housing, and healthcare
This relates to structural determinants shaping health outcomes
After the student advocated for change, the cafeteria began emailing menus in an accessible format, allowing her to choose food independently
This relates to removing social barriers through accessible design
After becoming chronically ill, Susan had to change her routines, limit activities, and rethink how she lived her everyday life
This relates to biographical disruption
In many Latino communities, individuals seek care from curanderos who use prayer, herbal remedies, and spiritual cleansing
This relates to curanderismo
When resources, opportunities, and power are unequally distributed among populations, certain groups experience higher rates of illness and lower life expectancy
This relates to health inequities created by social systems
Many public spaces, schools, and technologies are designed assuming a “normal” able-bodied user, creating barriers for people with different abilities
This relates to disability being produced by inaccessible social environments
Because long COVID was not well understood at first, Susan found validation and support through online groups with others experiencing similar symptoms
This relates to social meaning and support in illness experiences
A person seeks treatment from both biomedical doctors and traditional healers to address different aspects of their illness
This relates to medical pluralism