
What are proximal factors?
The Proximal/Distal Paradigm. Factors that affect health are often described as either “proximal” (downstream or directly affecting health) or “distal” (upstream or indirectly affecting health). For example, income is thought of as distal (upstream) because it doesn’t directly affect health. However, just as upstream water flows downstream, income is thought to influence proximal factors like where one works and lives, which directly affect health.
What are proximal and distal determinants of Health?
Distal determinants encompass more generic influences such as low socioeconomic status, unemployment, inadequate housing and poor access to health care. Proximal determinants are more personalised elements closer to the individual and include self-esteem, individual and community empowerment, control over life events and consequent healthy ...
What is proximal and distal stimulus?
Proximal stimuli is the transduction of an external stimulus, such as the phototransduction pathway caused by recieving light into the eye. Distal stimuli is the sourch of the external stimulus, in the example of the phototransduction pathway it can be the sun.
What is distal cause?
What is distal cause? Quick Reference. A cause that underlies or is remote from the more obvious direct cause of a departure from good health. For example, atmospheric contamination with ozone-destroying substances, such as chlorofluorocarbon compounds, is a distal cause of skin cancer due to increased ultraviolet radiation flux.

What are examples of distal factors of health?
Distal determinants of health include the national, institutional, political, legal, and cultural factors that indirectly influence health by acting on the more proximal factors, their interrelated mechanisms, levels, trends, and distributions.
What are proximal and distal factors?
Factors that affect health are often described as either “proximal” (downstream or directly affecting health) or “distal” (upstream or indirectly affecting health). For example, income is thought of as distal (upstream) because it doesn't directly affect health.
What are distal influences?
Distal influences refer to personal experiences in the past, historical events, and past cumulative life events or achievements (e.g., education), whereas proximal influences are defined as current individual, social, or economic resources (Brown & Anderson, 1991;Martin & Martin, 2002;Wheaton, 1994).
What is a proximal risk factor?
A proximal risk factor is a risk factor that precipitates a disease, such as BPD. They represent an immediate vulnerability for a particular condition or event. Sometimes proximal risk factors cause or shape an event. Proximal Risk Factors in BPD.
What does distal mean in psychology?
1. situated or directed toward the periphery of the body or toward the end of a limb. 2. remote from or mostly distantly related to the point of reference or origin.
What is distal in biology?
(DIS-tul) In medicine, refers to a part of the body that is farther away from the center of the body than another part. For example, the fingers are distal to the shoulder. The opposite is proximal.
What is the difference between distal and proximal?
The thumb is distal to the wrist. Distal is the opposite of proximal. Distal refers to distance, while proximal indicates proximity.
What does distal and proximal mean psychology?
psychological traits, the distal (ultimate) causes of the. behaviour are the (evolotionary) ends and the proximal causes of the. behaviour are the (psychological) means. The proximal cause is the means. to the distal end.
What are the 4 determinants of health?
Determinants of health: Nutrition, lifestyle, environment, and genetics are considered as core determinants and four pillars of health. When any one or more of these is compromised, health is at risk and medical care is required as a support system.
What are the two types of risk factors?
In general, risk factors can be categorised into the following groups: Behavioural. Physiological. Demographic.
What are proximal variables?
Proximal factors are of particular interest because they are potentially more modifiable than are distal variables that include demographic statuses and long-standing historical or trait factors. Our selection of distal and proximal factors was guided by prior research.
What is proximal health?
(PROK-sih-mul) In medicine, refers to a part of the body that is closer to the center of the body than another part. For example, the knee is proximal to the toes. The opposite is distal.
What are proximal variables?
Proximal factors are of particular interest because they are potentially more modifiable than are distal variables that include demographic statuses and long-standing historical or trait factors. Our selection of distal and proximal factors was guided by prior research.
What are the two types of risk factors?
In general, risk factors can be categorised into the following groups: Behavioural. Physiological. Demographic.
What is an example of a proximal stimulus for sound?
The sound being recognized and understood as the ringing of a telephone, by our sensory receptors, is the proximal stimulus.
What are proximal intermediate and distal determinants of health?
The social determinants of health can be categorized as distal (e.g. historic, political, social and economic contexts), intermediate (e.g. community infrastructure, resources, systems and capacities), and proximal (e.g. health behaviours, physical and social environment) (14–16).