Poor health is a major cause of homelessness. If an injury or chronic condition results in someone being unable to work, paying rent or a mortgage may become an issue. Conversely, homelessness may create or exacerbate existing health conditions due to weather conditions, lack of healthcare, unhealthy diet, street violence, etc.
Poorly compensated employment, unsafe employment and unemployment can all impact a person’s health and well-being. Some people work at jobs with lower wages that can negatively impact living conditions, physical safety hazards that can result in injury, or stress-inducing environments that lead to health problems.
Studies have shown that unemployment impacts one’s financial, physical and mental well-being. Laid-off workers are more likely to develop a stress-related condition, such as stroke, heart attack, heart disease, or arthritis.
There’s a lot of talk among those who work in human services about social determinants of health. But what exactly does that term mean? What are social determinants of health and how do they impact our work at FSSA? And, most importantly, what can we do about them?