Influencing multiple systems: The implications of the social determinants model of health for psychological interventions targeting multi-problem families

Clinical Psychologist, Vol. 12, No. 3, November 2008, pp. 77–78. EDITORIAL Influencing multiple systems: The implications of the social determinants model of health for psychological interventions targeting multi-problem families In July 2008 the World Health Organization (WHO) The unhealthy lifestyle is an attempt to cope with this released the report ‘‘Closing the gap in a generation: stress. This is the experience not only of many Health equity through action on the social determi- Indigenous Australians, but of many disadvantaged nants of health’’ (WHO, 2008). The report, written families who have little or no access to the resources by the Commission on Social Determinants of and opportunities that would allow them to lead the Health, led by Professor Michael Marmot, points life of the majority of the population. It is a stress to the fundamental problem that results in health experienced by families marginalised as a conse- inequality, namely the unequal distribution of power, quence of low socioeconomic circumstances, racism income, goods and services that occurs both within and prejudice. It is a stress experienced by families countries and across countries. Inequality in access whose parental rights have been removed in the to health care, school education, employment, absence of clear guidelines on what is required to community resources, to name a few, impacts on regain these rights. It is a stress experienced by all aspects of people’s lives and can lead to chronic parents in prison who are unable to provide the health problems and a reduction in life expectancy....