Social Determinants of Health

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) refer to the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. These are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and they include a wide range of social, economic, and environmental factors. Understanding SDOH is crucial for medical professionals as they play a significant role in shaping the health of individuals and populations.

Overview

Social determinants of health are the complex, integrated, and overlapping social structures and economic systems that are responsible for most health inequities. These determinants include aspects such as:

• Economic Stability: This includes factors like employment, income, expenses, and debt. Economic stability affects access to healthcare, nutritious food, and safe housing.
• Education Access and Quality: Education is a powerful determinant of health. Higher levels of education are associated with better health outcomes. This determinant includes literacy, language, early childhood education, vocational training, and higher education.
• Health Care Access and Quality: Access to healthcare services and the quality of those services are critical for maintaining health. This includes access to primary care, health insurance coverage, and the availability of culturally competent care.
• Neighborhood and Built Environment: The physical environment where people live can significantly impact their health. This includes housing quality, access to transportation, availability of healthy foods, and exposure to environmental toxins.
• Social and Community Context: Social support networks, community engagement, and the presence of discrimination or violence can all influence health outcomes.

Impact on Health

The social determinants of health can lead to health disparities, which are differences in health outcomes between different population groups. These disparities are often seen along lines of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. For example, individuals living in poverty are more likely to experience poor health outcomes due to limited access to healthcare, nutritious food, and safe living conditions.

Addressing Social Determinants

Addressing social determinants of health requires a multi-sectoral approach that involves collaboration between healthcare providers, policymakers, community organizations, and other stakeholders. Strategies to address SDOH include:

• Implementing policies that promote economic stability, such as increasing the minimum wage and providing job training programs.
• Improving access to quality education by investing in early childhood education and reducing barriers to higher education.
• Expanding access to healthcare through policies that increase insurance coverage and improve the quality of care.
• Enhancing the built environment by ensuring access to safe housing, clean water, and nutritious food.
• Strengthening social and community networks by promoting social cohesion and reducing discrimination.

Also see

• Health Disparities
• Public Health
• Health Equity
• Environmental Health
• Healthcare Access