Citation

Cattanach J. Community Pract. 2020; 93(1): 45-47.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper asserts the importance of health visitors understanding the impact of wider health determinants, including social and cultural factors, on health behaviours, in order to improve community engagement, reduce health inequalities and develop practice.

It can provide a basis for the unique contribution they can make, as a profession, to the lives of children and families, including marginalised minority groups where reports of reduced cultural awareness can act as a barrier to improved child health outcomes.

Bronfenbrenner's social-ecological model (Bronfenbrenner, 1977) is used as a framework to explore the link between health behaviours and factors at both person, family and community level.

The impact of these wider contextual factors is emphasised with a particular focus on Gypsy Traveller families - among the most socially excluded and disadvantaged groups in society, which consistently report higher rates of infant mortality, stillbirth and lower immunisation rates, together with increased levels of hate crime and racial discrimination.

Language: en