The five areas of social determinants of health
As outlined by the Department of Health and Human Services, the five areas of social determinants of health include economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. As you are comfortable, reflect on any challenges you, your family, or others you know have faced in these areas. As you think about the impact of social determinants of health, which area do you think should have the highest priority to be addressed?
The social determinants of health (SDH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems. Perhaps the most powerful social determinant of health is income. All of us have seen too many patients who could not afford their medications, a healthy diet, or a proper place to live—and how this affected their health status. We have wished we could do something about it. It turns out we can.
