SDOH and Risk of Major Depressive Disorder in Adult Hispanic Population in Virginia.

SDOH and Risk of Major Depressive Disorder in Adult Hispanic Population in Virginia.

SDOH and Risk of Major Depressive Disorder in Adult Hispanic Population in
Virginia.
Social determinants of health are factors that tend to greatly influence the health of a
given population. A careful analysis of these determinants of health is key towards designing
policy interventions aimed at improving the health of the community and population. In the
Hispanic population in Virginia, low-income status is a common negative social determinant
of health. Income levels affect health in various ways. One of them being the financial ability
of individuals to seek healthcare services. Individual`s with low-income levels have limited
access to care. Good access to care is important especially in the initiation of early
interventions that can aid in the effective management of diseases in their earlier stages. It
also determines the individual’s ability to practice healthy living through activities such as
financing a balanced diet and regular disease screenings (Elliott & Cheff, 2021). In Virginia,
of the individuals who were diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, 24.3% had an annual
income that was less than $25,000, representing the high numbers of individuals from low
incomes who were diagnosed with depression (America Health Trends, 2021). Income
inequalities in these ethnic communities as compared to other majority ethnic communities
may itself be a societal stressor that when coupled with the high rates of societal and
institutional racism against the Hispanics, contributes to the development of depression.