Health is influenced by a range of social determinants of health which include their individual

characteristics (age, sex, genetic factors), behaviours (smoking, alcohol intake, diet, physical activity),
and conditions of living (socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, networks, health systems), which is
shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources, leading to unfair and avoidable health
differences between or among people, or health inequity.

In my area of assignment, this inequity is very noticeable particularly when comparing patients or
individuals from upland and lowland areas.

In lowland communities, they have better education and health-seeking behaviour, more accessible to
health care services

Whereas in upland communities, the people don’t actually prioritize education and health, and less
access to health services. In fact I still encounter elderly individuals that have not met or consulted a
doctor in their entire lives.

Our health system is very centralized, not only just in the national level, kaya may DTTBs nga, but also in
the local level. Kaya I always tell my lowland patients who come in our facility only when their conditions
have progressed the fact that they are actually maswerte because malapit lang sila and very accessible
sa kanila ang RHU and hospitals, unlike in upland communities na kailangan pa nilang maglakad pababa
galing bundok para lang humingi ng maintenance at vitamins. Tapos ang irarason nila masungit daw si
MHO, di nila alam na may ibang doctor, tska sasabihin, akala nila may bayad ang mga gamut sa RHU.

Health care services demand is affected by factors including perceived illness or desire for preventive
medicine, marital status, type of people, income, education, availability of substitutes, price of related
commodities, and time cost. While supply is influenced by nature and character of the production
function (capital – land, bldg, equipment/technology, labor – manpower), prices of resources to produce
the commodity, and producer expectations about future prices of the commodity/service.

Marital status – single higher demands because in married people they have other needs or priorities

Type – old vs young

Antirabies – high demand, high supply (kasi pinapapalitan ang ginamit na bakuna particularly yung ERIG)

- Issues are perceived illness (wala naman sigurong rabies yung aso, mahal ang bakuna, hindi
alam ang consequences ng rabies, may tandok naman, matagal sa RHU)

Medicines – low supply kasi ibang gamut ang binibili ni MHO, Im always giving her my list of commonly
used drugs