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 economic stability.
Economic Stability: Economic stability examines the relationship between
The health and well-being of individuals, and the quality of life
Follow us on our website, blog, social media, and at conferences, seminars, workshops, community forums, community fellowships, etc., as we provide evidence-based health information, education and practice on poverty, employment, food security and housing instability for the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are needed to eliminate health disparities and inequities in our societies, enabling adoption and sustaining positive healthy behaviors, achieving optimal health and freedom from poverty, hunger and homelessness to pursue a purpose-driven life.