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Interpreting social determinants: Emergent properties and adolescent risk behaviour.

ABSTRACT: A link between adversity, including low socio-economic status, and behaviours which carry health risks, such as alcohol consumption, has often been observed. The causes of this link are, however, poorly understood, making it difficult to explain why the association is often not linear and why there is so much variability between groups and individuals facing similar adversity. We investigate the use of the concept of emergent properties in explaining the link and its non-linear nature. `Emergent properties' arise from the interaction of factors or items in a high-level system which, as a result, has qualities possessed by none of the individual factors. We apply a mixed methods approach to examine the association of an example emergent property, hope, and alcohol consumption among adolescents in a rural South African site. We found that among adolescents living in similar contexts, there was enough variance in reported levels of hope, that an association with alcohol use could be identified. This result is cause for optimism regarding the potential use of emergent properties in explaining variations in risk behaviour. Improving our measurement of emergent properties is perhaps the biggest challenge facing this approach. More work is needed to take further the task of identifying emergent properties capable of distilling the influence of lower level variables into single measures useful for analysis and policy purposes.

SUBMITTER: Desmond C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6932798 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Interpreting social determinants: Emergent properties and adolescent risk behaviour.

Desmond Chris C Seeley Janet J Groenewald Candice C Ngwenya Nothando N Rich Kate K Barnett Tony T

PloS one 20191226 12

A link between adversity, including low socio-economic status, and behaviours which carry health risks, such as alcohol consumption, has often been observed. The causes of this link are, however, poorly understood, making it difficult to explain why the association is often not linear and why there is so much variability between groups and individuals facing similar adversity. We investigate the use of the concept of emergent properties in explaining the link and its non-linear nature. `Emergent ...[more]

PMID: 31877166

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Project description:BackgroundDepressive disorder is the largest contributor to years lived with disability in the Caribbean, adding 948 per 100,000 in 2013. Depression is also a major risk factor for suicidal behaviour. Social inequalities influence the occurrence of depression, yet little is known about the social inequalities of this condition in the Caribbean. In support of the 2011 Rio Political Declaration on addressing health inequities, this article presents a systematic review of the role of social determinants on depression and its suicidal behaviours in the Caribbean.MethodsEight databases were searched for observational studies reporting associations between social determinants and depression frequency, severity, or outcomes. Based on the PROGRESS-plus checklist, we considered 9 social determinant groups (of 15 endpoints) for 6 depression endpoints, totalling 90 possible ways ('relationship groups') to explore the role of social determinants on depression. Studies with ≥50 participants conducted in Caribbean territories between 2004 and 2014 were eligible. The review was conducted according to STROBE and PRISMA guidelines. Results were planned as a narrative synthesis, with meta-analysis if possible.ResultsFrom 3951 citations, 55 articles from 45 studies were included. Most were classified as serious risk of bias. Fifty-seven relationship groups were reported by the 55 included articles, leaving 33 relationship groups (37%) without an evidence base. Most associations were reported for gender, age, residence, marital status, and education. Depression, its severity, and its outcomes were more common among females (except suicide which was more common among males), early and middle adolescents (among youth), and those with lower levels of education. Marriage emerged as both a risk and protective factor for depression score and prevalence, while several inequality relationships in Haiti were in contrast to typical trends.ConclusionThe risk of bias and few numbers of studies within relationship groups restricted the synthesis of Caribbean evidence on social inequalities of depression. Along with more research focusing on regional social inequalities, attempts at standardizing reporting guidelines for observational studies of inequality and studies examining depression is necessitated. This review offers as a benchmark to prioritize future research into the social determinants of depression frequency and outcomes in the Caribbean.

Project description:BackgroundAdolescent multiple risk behaviour (MRB) is a global health issue. Most interventions have focused on the proximal causes of adolescent MRB such as peer or family influence, with systematic reviews reporting mixed evidence of effectiveness. There is increasing recognition that community mobilisation approaches could be beneficial for adolescent health. There are gaps in the current literature, theory and implementation that would benefit from a realist approach. We use a theory-driven evidence synthesis to assess how and why community mobilisation interventions work/do not work to prevent adolescent MRB and in what contexts.MethodsThis realist review used a six-stage iterative process, guided by the RAMESES framework. We systematically searched PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts, from their inception to 2021. Studies were screened for relevance to the programme theory, assessed for rigour and included based on a priori criteria. Two independent reviewers selected, screened and extracted data from included studies. A realist logic of analysis was used to develop context-mechanism-outcome configurations that contributed to our programme theory.FindingsWe reviewed 35 documents describing 22 separate community mobilisation intervention studies. Most studies (n = 17) had a quality assessment score of three or four (out of four). We analysed the studies in relation to three middle range theories. To uphold our theory that these interventions work by creating a social environment where adolescents are less likely to engage in MRB, interventions should: (1) embed a framework of guiding principles throughout the community, (2) establish community readiness with population data and (3) ensure a diverse coalition with the support of intervention champions. Mechanisms such as empowerment through coalition ownership over the delivery of the intervention, cohesion across the community and motivation to work collaboratively to improve adolescent health are triggered to achieve social environment shifts. However, certain contexts (e.g. limited funding) restrict intervention success as these mechanisms are not fired.ConclusionsFor community mobilisation interventions to reduce adolescent MRB, the coalitions within them must seek to alter the social environment in which these behaviours occur. Mechanisms including empowerment, cohesion and motivation lead to this shift, but only under certain contexts.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42020205342.

Dataset Information

Interpreting social determinants: Emergent properties and adolescent risk behaviour.

Publications

Interpreting social determinants: Emergent properties and adolescent risk behaviour.

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