When it comes to determining the overall health of a country, you will have to consider factors more than just diagnosing and treatment of diseases. This includes the absence of diseases as well as the overall well-being of the population.
You will need to include physical health, mental well-being, as well as the economic stability that is contributing towards the good health of that country’s population. All these factors combine to influence and determine a country’s overall health.
Let’s dive deep into some of these factors and see how they actually influence its overall health.
- Quality and Access to Healthcare
As obvious by the name, this factor includes the availability of healthcare facilities in the area. These facilities involve healthcare clinics, medical professionals, and hospitals. The presence of all these facilities is not enough to determine a country’s overall health.
You will also need to consider the healthcare quality provided by these facilities as well as people’s access to these facilities. To calculate and measure the accessibility, it is advised to consider factors like transportation, especially in rural or underserved areas.
Additionally, it involves affordability, ensuring that healthcare services are financially accessible to all members of the population.
The quality of healthcare, on the other hand, is determined by the effectiveness of the services provided by these facilities. It involves whether the treatments are evidence-based and result in positive outcomes after a certain period and if the treatments are tailored to patients’ needs.
- Quality of Education
Education is directly related to health literacy. The more people are educated in your country, the better they will know how healthcare works and how to use health information effectively. This includes understanding medical instructions, understanding nutritional needs, and making informed decisions about healthcare options.
You have also seen that well-educated individuals are more likely to follow preventive health measures such as regular exercise and vaccinations. This eventually ensures that they will take good care of their health and will stay healthier.
So, the countries with good literacy rates are more likely to be the Healthiest countries around the globe. This is because education leads to continuous learning, which can lead to better health outcomes.
- Environmental Factors
Environment plays a very important role in determining the average health of an individual in a country. If people have access to clean air and safe drinking water, they are less likely to get any health issues. This ranges from respiratory diseases to waterborne illnesses like diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis, and many more.
Along with the outside environment, the structure of homes also directly impacts health. If you live in a home with adequate facilities, you are less likely to be exposed to environmental toxins and unsafe living conditions. This will ultimately lead to mental well-being and better physical health.
Also, the countries with more trees and greenery are likely to have a healthier population as compared to countries with fewer trees and more buildings. This is because natural habitat provides opportunities for physical activity, relaxation, and stress reduction.
- Lifestyle Choices and Diet
What you eat affects your overall health. If the diet is rich in nutrients and essential minerals, it will promote the overall health of a country and will reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Moreover, as people will eat well, it will contribute to their optimal growth and functioning of the body.
Along with the diet, other lifestyle choices of people in a country also contribute to its overall health. The countries that have higher percentages of people indulging in regular physical activity are known to be healthier. The use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs also contributes to the overall health of a country.
Additionally, countries with good sleeping schedules are known to be healthier and have high life expectancy as compared to the ones with irregular sleeping schedules. This is because sleep is directly related to your immune system, and when you sleep well, you are actually making your body stronger and giving it the ability to fight off diseases.
- Public Health Infrastructure
Public health infrastructure contributes a lot to the overall health of a country. If a country has a public health system, it means the public has access to all the vaccinations and preventive measures against diseases.
This automatically ensures that infectious diseases are controlled and prevented carefully. Moreover, public health efforts to educate communities about healthy behaviors, disease prevention, and health promotion play a crucial role in improving overall health.