Social Determinants of Health
Did you know…that80% 80% of what makes up someone’s health is determined by what happens outside of the hospital and health clinic? Of the 80%, the largest segment is made up of the “Social Determinants of Health” or “Socioeconomic Factors”.
These social determinants are things that make up our communities – the places where we live, work, learn and play. HealthyPeople 2030, a national health initiative, sorts these into five key areas of economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and the built environment.
A few examples of the social determinants include employment, food security, housing stability, early childhood education, civic participation, discrimination, access to health care, and safe places to walk. As you look at these examples, you can see that not every person has the same conditions and that these conditions explain in part why some Americans are healthier than others and why Americans more generally are not as healthy as we could be.
Social determinants have a major impact on health outcomes—especially for the most vulnerable. At NOAH, we can not only improve individual and population health but also help advance health equity. After all, health starts in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities.
