Podcast: The impact of socioeconomic factors on health and wellbeing

At RACP Congress 2017 in May, there was great interest in sessions examining the moral obligations physicians have to society. On this episode of Pomegranate, three speakers from panel sessions at the event reflect on some of the themes raised.

It’s estimated that socioeconomic factors are responsible for half of a population’s health and wellbeing status. In comparison, medical services might determine only a quarter of health outcomes. Better targeting of social services and health resources is key to addressing this – but it’s not just a macro-level problem, according to Professor Ross Upshur of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in Canada. He says that merging medical records with socioeconomic markers will help physicians manage inequity at every consultation via ‘social precision medicine.’ 

Associate Professor Sue Woolfenden is a paediatrician at Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, and spoke at Congress explaining how the biological and social determinants of health are entwined, even before birth, with effects accumulating at every stage of development. Her research for the University of New South Wales School of Women and Children's Health reveals why some culturally and linguistically diverse communities don’t access antenatal services and pre-school care, and what clinicians can do to make services more accessible.

The podcast also features Dr Brett Sutton, Deputy Chief Health Officer of Victoria, who participated in a Congress session discussing health advocacy, and dealing with issues that might conflict with political or media interests.

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