Foot health is an essential aspect of overall wellbeing that is often overlooked in the healthcare sector in the UK. This neglect is particularly concerning given the significant impact foot health has on an individual’s quality of life. It affects mobility, independence, and even mental health. However, foot health is not just a medical issue; it is also deeply intertwined with social determinants of health.
Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. These determinants can include factors like socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, and social support networks, as well as access to health care.
The intersection of these social determinants can significantly impact foot health outcomes. This concept of intersectionality, initially coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, refers to the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. In the context of foot health, intersectionality can help us understand why some groups are more vulnerable to poor foot health outcomes than others.
For instance, a low-income individual living in a neighborhood with limited access to health care services may struggle to receive the necessary foot care. This struggle can be exacerbated if the individual is also part of a racial or ethnic minority group that faces additional barriers to health care. Similarly, an elderly person may be more prone to foot health issues due to age-related physiological changes, and this vulnerability can be heightened if the person is also socially isolated or lacks access to transportation to reach healthcare facilities.
Understanding the intersectionality of social determinants of health is crucial in addressing foot health inequity. Inequity refers to differences in health outcomes that are systematic, avoidable, and unjust. In the case of foot health, inequity can manifest as disparities in the prevalence of foot health issues among different social groups, or in the access to and quality of foot health care.
Addressing foot health inequity requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond medical interventions. It involves addressing the social determinants of health that contribute to these disparities. This could include initiatives to improve access to health care in underserved areas, policies to reduce income inequality and poverty, and efforts to eliminate discrimination in health care.
In conclusion, foot health is a critical but often neglected aspect of wellbeing that is deeply intertwined with social determinants of health. The intersectionality of these determinants can create vulnerabilities that lead to foot health inequity. Addressing this inequity requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges and tackles these social determinants. By doing so, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of their social circumstances, has the opportunity to achieve optimal foot health and, by extension, overall wellbeing.
To read the full journal article, head to https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-023-00647-7