The determinants of global health

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. This concept reminds us that global health is not just a medical issue. Health is a multidimensional mosaic that encompasses every aspect of our existence and daily life. It is deeply correlated with various determinants, factors that influence the state of well-being of individuals, communities and populations.

What are the different determinants of global health

The determinants of global health can be grouped into several categories:

• personal behaviors and lifestyles,

• social factors, living and working conditions,

• access to healthcare services,

• general socio-economic conditions,

• cultural and environmental conditions,

• genetic factors.

According to the model proposed by the Institute for the Future (IFTF) in 2010, people’s health status is primarily influenced by their behaviors and lifestyles (50%), followed by environmental factors (20%), genetic factors (20%), and healthcare (10%).

Lifestyles and behaviors 

Lifestyle determinants include everything we eat, how much we move, and even the use of social media, for example. They include all behaviors capable of affecting our DNA expression and long-term well-being, reminding us of our individual responsibility in building health.

Healthy lifestyles are capable of preventing many non-communicable chronic diseases, which today represent a concrete threat to the sustainability of healthcare and social systems.

Socio-economic and environmental determinants 

Our health depends on how and where we grow, work, and age.

The socio-economic and environmental determinants include level of education, employment, socio-economic status, housing, the surrounding environment, social support, and social relationships, the quality of which essentially determines global health, which is threatened by loneliness and isolation.

Biological and genetic determinants

Biological and genetic factors determine our predisposition to certain pathologies and influence the development of the body. determinano la nostra predisposizione a determinate patologie e influenzano lo sviluppo del corpo.

These factors are the heritage we receive at birth, but they do not dictate an unchangeable destiny; on the contrary, epigeneticsEpigenetics is a field of biology that studies changes in ge... More today teaches us that the environment can “turn on” or “turn off” many of our genes, determining our state of health.

The efficiency of the healthcare system 

Access to equitable, timely, and efficient healthcare services naturally affects global health. A system that works does not only respond to emergencies, but invests in prevention and community-based care, guaranteeing every citizen the same possibilities for diagnosis, treatment, and health.

A healthcare system that cares for the mind as well as the body is fundamental, ensuring community psychology services and addressing regional inequalities in access to mental health services.

The commitment of the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation

For 25 years, the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation has been investing in outreach, education, and self-education programs to promote global health, fostering awareness of its determinants, individual responsibility, and the orientation of personal, family, and community choices toward full and shared well-being.

All programs and protocols in schools or in areas at higher social risk are solidly supported by neuro-psycho-pedagogical didactic research, carried out by the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation in its RINED Research Institute. This research continuously expands its horizons of investigation, integrating the most advanced contemporary technologies with the precious gift of millenary practices, such as meditationThere are many ways to define meditation, but perhaps the si... More and intentional silenceSilence, often overlooked in the frenzy of modern life, is a... More.

On the program “Sei in Salute” on Seilatv, aired on Thursday, April 9, President Gianni Bernardi shared the Foundation’s cutting-edge scientific research, centered on educational needs and at the service of the human being, highlighting national and international results, as well as new fronts of activity, hope, and the cultivation of global health for everyone.