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The Contribution of the

Social Economy – A

Response

Social Determinants of Health

Conference

Response to Vaillancourt

Toronto, November 2002

Pat Armstrong

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Response to Vaillancourt

This response aims to raise some

questions about, and some areas for
further reflection, on the social economy
approach to improving the conditions for
health as presented by Yves Vaillancourt
in “

Social Policy as a Determinant of

Health and Well Being: the
Contribution of the Social Economy

.”

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What about Women?

All populations are gendered and

in all populations gender makes a
difference in terms of participation
in, and the consequences of,
health care.

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What about Women?

Women as Care workers

• A gender analysis is critical

because Care work is Women’s
work.

• Without support or training and

pushed to care, women providing
care often end up in poor health
and may provide poor care.

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What about Women?

Women As Patients

•

Women are the majority of patients, and

account for up to three-quarters of the

institutionalized elderly.

•

As the majority of the population and all of

those giving birth, it is the women who use

care more

•

Women are also more likely than men to have

their care needs go unmet

•

It is also women who take children for care

and who take responsibility for children’s

health.

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What about Women?

Women in Poverty

• Women have fewer financial resources than men

to assist them in getting or giving care.

• Women are more dependent than men on other

social services

• Women’s responsibilities for children and

households, combined with the barriers they face

in the labour force, mean women have less

access to labour-linked supports such as E.I.

• Indeed, women have fewer of the material

resources that the health determinants literature

tells us are important to health, and less of the

power as well.