Social Determinants of Health: Canadian Perspectives (Paperback)

Social Determinants of Health provides these kinds of insights and policy advice. For instance, citing the fact that women are more likely than men to work in insecure jobs, in part because responsibility for family care is gendered, one article proposes that Canada go further in encouraging men to share family responsibilities by providing at least one additional month of parental EI benefits only for fathers. Another article outlines the health consequences of non-standard work hours, contingent work, and job insecurity - an excellent contribution to our understanding of employment and wellbeing.

This text should serve as a core resource for classes in various social policy, community service, and health programs. It can also serve as a supplementary text for courses that cover particular social determinants such as housing, early childhood development, labour economics, immigrant studies and equity studies. It really covers a lot of ground.

New Book -- Available August, 2004

Uniting top academics and high profile experts from across the country,
this contributed volume is the first of its kind published in Canada. It
summarizes how socio-economic factors affect the health of Canadians,
surveys the current state of eleven social determinants of health across
Canada, and provides an analysis of how these determinants affect
Canadians' health. In each case, the book explores what policy options
would contribute to better health outcomes, and how to ensure that these
options are pursued.

Eleven critical areas are investigated: Aboriginal status, early life,
education, employment and working conditions, food security, health care
services, housing, income and its distribution, social safety net, social
exclusion, as well as unemployment and employment security. Gender, and how
its meaning is constructed within Canadian society, is another important
social determinant of health. All contributors systematically consider how
it impacts upon and interacts with their specific social determinant of
health to influence health.

Contributors:

Pat Armstrong Andrew Jackson Irving Rootman François Aubry Muriel
Kearney Chandrakant P. Shah Nathalie Auger Ronald Labonte Michael
Shapcott Gina B. Browne David Langille Valerie Tarasuk Toba
Bryant Richard Lessard Luc Thériault
Tracey Burns Lynn McIntyre Emile Tompa Robert Choinière Michael
Polanyi Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay Ann Curry-Stevens Michael
Rachlis Louise Tremblay Janice Foley Dennis Raphael Charles
Ungerleider Martha Friendly Marie-France Raynault Yves
Vaillancourt Grace-Edward Galabuzi Barbara Ronson

This volume will serve as an important text for students and also a good
solid resource for teachers and researchers. The major strengths of this
book lie in its breadth of social determinants of health. Most academic
works do not focus on such a wide range and if they do, they do not include
much current research information. [The book] definitely presents the
material in an original way as it is based on up-to-date, new research in
the areas." Catherine Chiappetta-Swanson, McMaster University

August 2004 1-55130-237-3 pb 400 pp C$45.95 US$37.95

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