Society and Policy Levels

The outer level(s) of the SEM include society and political influences. At the society level, factors that influence health can include discrimination. Consider for example stigma associated with people who have HIV/AIDS.

Broader societal factors include the economic climate or social policies that contribute to the inequitable distribution of services or resources based on income levels. For example, people who live in low-income neighborhoods have fewer opportunities for educational advancement and access to health services when compared to more affluent neighborhoods. Yet, certain policies can help facilitate opportunities for those populations most influenced by the inequitable distribution of services and resources. For example, policies aimed at targeting early educational opportunities for low-income students or scholarship benefit programs can have significant impacts on the outcomes for those individuals who receive such support.

The outer level(s) of the SEM can help health professionals identify areas where interventions can address broader health determinants that impact populations.

This Discussion will be available from Day 1 through Day 7 of this week. You are required to submit your initial post by Day 3. You are encouraged to post early. Once you have submitted your initial post, start engaging in a discussion with your colleagues. You must respond to at least one of your colleagues by no later than Day 5 and should continue to interact frequently with your colleagues through Day 7. Part of what makes a Discussion a discussion and not a lecture is the back and forth, in-depth, animated interaction of at least two people. If you start a topic and none of your colleagues are responding, consider what you can do to get the conversation going. Include something that would elicit further thoughts and different opinions from colleagues. Validate your opinions with references and links to the sources you used so that your colleagues can read them for themselves. See your Discussion rubric in the Course Information tab for specific grading requirements.

Post by Day 3 a description of how you would apply the society and policy levels of the Socio-Ecological Model to the interventions you propose in your Final Project and explain why.

Remember to begin interaction with your colleagues in the Discussion no later than Day 5 and continue engaging through Day 7. Continue the Discussion by Day 5 and share an insight from having read your colleague’s post.

Support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.

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