Essay
Abstract
Researchers have long been exploring the various factors that affect the health condition of individuals and/or groups. They have reported the key factors that seemingly determine health outcomes for vulnerable populations, namely, socioeconomic status (e.g. income, education, and occupation), cultural practices, and social services (e.g. housing, medical care). These so-called social determinants of health largely contribute to health disparities. Health policy has also been reported to significantly influence the health condition of vulnerable population. For instance, in the U.S., health policy is more focused on 'cure' than 'prevention', which, in consequence, channels bulk of the resources toward clinical ...