Comparing Determinants of Health in Manitoba and Nova Scotia

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Christine and I chose to pair up for the comparison portion of this assignment. I am from Nova Scotia, and Christine is from Manitoba. Here I will compare the information we have gathered and determine what similarities and differences our provinces have in the approach to public health and the use of determinants of health.

Nova Scotia does not have its own list of determinants of health, though public health policies do reference the determinants of health listed by the Government of Canada (2019). The Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness created two protocols that guide our province in creating health communities and developing our younger members of society. First, the Nova Scotia Public Health Healthy Community Protocol (2014) provides expectations of public health involvement within the community. This protocol states that in an effort to understand the health of Nova Scotians, it will provide assessments with emphasis on the following adapted determinants:

• the health status of populations

• behavioural risk factors

• the state of underlying social, economic, and physical environments and their influence on behavioural risk factors and population health status. Such environments involve culture, industry influence and tactics (e.g., marketing, advertising), accessibility, affordability, and communities’ readiness for change.

• the existence and impact of inequalities and inequities and the effects of these upon priority populations

(Health Communities Protocol, 2014)

In the Nova Scotia Public Health Healthy Development Protocol (2014) these adapted determinants of health are also used, but for children of children from early age to youth, with a focus on “…addressing healthy growth and development, mental and social emotional health, healthy eating (including breastfeeding), physical activity, substance use and gambling, injury and communicable disease prevention, and sexual health” (p. 1)

After reading Christine’s post I discovered that health determinants are tailored towards specific groups in Manitoba. For example, Christine cited a list of social, proximal, intermediate and distal determinants of health for First Nations people:

Social Determinants of Aboriginal Health

• social-political

• holistic perspective of health

• life course – child, youth and adult

Proximal Determinants of Health

• health behaviors

• physical environments

• employment and income

• education

• food insecurity

Intermediate Determinants of Health

• health care systems

• educational systems

• community infrastructure, resources and capacities

• environmental stewardship

• cultural continuity

Distal Determinants of Health

• colonialism

• racism and social exclusion

• self-determination

(Southern Chiefs Organization Inc., n.d.)

According to Statistics Canada (2016) the population of First Nations people in Manitoba in 2016 was 18.0% compared to 5.7% in Nova Scotia. Considering the large population of First Nations people in Manitoba, a list of determinants of health tailored to this population is important. Nova Scotia’s protocol places all community members into one category, but recognizes how specific groups experience inequities and inequalities that need to be addressed by public health policy.

Though they have their differences, both Manitoba and Nova Scotia utilize determinants of health to better understand the health of their communities and take action to decrease health disparities.

References:

Nova Scotia. Department of Health and Wellness. (2014). Nova Scotia public health: Healthy communities protocol. Halifax, N.S.: Dept. of Health and Wellness.

Nova Scotia. Department of Health and Wellness. (2014). Nova Scotia public health: Healthy development protocol. Halifax, N.S.: Dept. of Health and Wellness.

Southern Chiefs Organization Inc. (n.d.) Factors affecting determinants of health for

Manitoba’s 32 Southern First Nations [PDF file]. Retrieved June 07, 2019, from http://scoinc.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/SCO-Determinants-of-Health-Overview1.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2019, February 20). Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census. Retrieved June 7, 2019, from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/fogs-spg/Facts-pr-eng.cfm?Lang=Eng&GK=PR&GC=12&TOPIC=9

Statistics Canada. (2019, February 20). Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census. Retrieved June 7, 2019, from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/fogs-spg/Facts-pr-eng.cfm?Lang=Eng&GK=PR&GC=46&TOPIC=9