Social determinants of non-communicable disease

Abstract

Introduction Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are non infectious diseases that are not transmitted through personal contact, biological vectors, vehicles, and are not airborne. The major NCDs include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, chronic respiratory disease, injuries (accidents) and mental illness. These are the world's growing causes of preventable illness, disability, morbidity and mortality. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) from 2000 to 2015 gave little focus for non-communicable diseases and their main social determinants tackling for the eight MDGs targets. Despite the evidences for the increased burden, non communicable diseases have ignored by health policy makers, multilateral and bilateral governmental and non-governmental organizations. Even though the causes and the threat that are posed by non-communicable diseases to health care systems are preventable, there have been inadequate national and global actions. The new Sustainable Development Goals agenda for the coming fifteen years from 2015 to 2030 identified different goals and targets for addressing the main non-communicable diseases and their determinants. This is one of the successful initials toward equity in health and well-being, through tackling the health inequities resulted by these determinants and setting the necessary preventative, curative and rehabilitative policies. Most targets are constructed based on human right and programs to address health problems associated with NCDs.