Hodges' Model: Welcome to the QUAD: Pointing to the gap: Social Determinants of Health in Hodges' model

Hodges' model is a conceptual framework to support reflection and critical thinking. Situated, the model can help integrate all disciplines (academic and professional). Amid news items, are posts that illustrate the scope and application of the model. A bibliography and A4 template are provided in the sidebar. Welcome to the QUAD ...

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Pointing to the gap: Social Determinants of Health in Hodges' model

Recent discussion on a HIFA forum included mention of the Social Determinants of Health SDH and inequality. Revising the draft paper on h2cm and threshold concepts (abstract to follow soon) social determinants arose in references there also (Aronsson, 2016).

I realised that I have not stressed enough how readily (and obviously) Hodges' model facilitates reflection and critical thinking about SDH. Hodges' model can really come into its own in this particular application.

So, just in case I take Hodges' model for granted in its potential utility, below I have drawn on the following figure (the findings within will no doubt vary over time and with further research).

By Jsonin - Created this open source diagram for our research into standard human data elements Previously published: http://determinantsofhealth.org, CC BY 4.0, Link
I have mapped the main percentage items to Hodges' model below. Clearly there is great deal of overlap; what for example, is the effect of the physical environment upon individual behaviours? Medicine and medical care does not just rest upon several sciences, but it is inherently political and about power.

Throughout my career and many others I am sure, there is an accompanying gap. It follows us around from the initial educational encounters through to our very latest mandatory training and CPD exercises. Whilst educational in being the theory-practice gap, applying SDH to Hodges' model reveals a much greater gap that politically is still being fought over...

individual
|
INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES
humanistic ----------------------------------------- mechanistic
SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL
|
group - population
38%
individual behaviour


7% 
physical environment
11%
medical care
21% 
genetics and biology

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

23%
social
circumstances



As if we needed to be 'told':

This space suggests that there really is 
still much more to do.

To those who would say: 
"We have done so much!" 
I would say: 
"But, we have only 
scratched the surface of 
the three 'easiest' care domains."



The 38% attributed to an individual's behaviour is a further source of evidence for Hodges' model as a resource for education and personal change.

Aronsson, J. (2016). Transformative sustainability learning within the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Community Practitioner, 89(1), 20-21.