Health is not just the absence of disease. Studies show that, among health determinants, social and economic factors significantly impact health, accounting for approximately 40% of the overall impact on an individual’s health. Other health determinants include health behavior (approximately 30%), clinical care (approximately 20%), and the physical environment (approximately 10%).
Social Determinants of Health (SDOHs) refer to non-medical factors that influence health outcomes (WHO, 2023). According to Healthy People 2030, SDOHs are the conditions in the environments where you are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health outcomes, functioning, and quality of life. Examples of SDOH include “safe housing, transportation, and neighborhood; racism, discrimination, and violence; education, job opportunities, and income; access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity; polluted air and water; and language and literacy skills.” We use evidence-based information and practices from Healthy People 2030, the Community Guide, and the World Health Organization (WHO) to address SDOH factors, aiming to eliminate avoidable differences in health status between population groups (health disparity) and unfair and unjust differences in health outcomes between groups of people (health inequity).
Healthy People 2030 groups SDOH into five main areas, including social and community context.
Social and Community Context: This context examines the relationship between
Their impact on individuals’ health, well-being, and quality of life.
Follow us on our website, blog, social media platforms, and at conferences, seminars, workshops, community spiritual well-being events, etc., as we provide evidence-based health information, education and practice on civic participation, discrimination, racism, incarceration and social cohesion for the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are needed to eliminate health disparities and inequities in our societies, enabling adoption and sustaining healthy lifestyles, achieving optimal health and leading purpose-driven lives free of poverty, hunger and homelessness.