Why are the social determinants of health considered to be so important?
Social determinants have a major impact on health outcomes – especially for the most vulnerable populations. Factors such as education, income level, and environment must be considered when providing treatment to achieve better health outcomes in these populations.
Some of the most important social determinants of health that are dominant in the literature are education (10), housing and or living environment (11), income and its distribution (12), stress, early life, social exclusion, work, unemployment, social support, addiction, food, transport (13).
What is the importance of health determinants?
Addressing social determinants of health is important for improving health and reducing longstanding disparities in health and health care. There are a growing number of initiatives to address social determinants of health within and outside of the health care system.
Social determinants of health such as poverty, unequal access to health care, lack of education, stigma, and racism are underlying, contributing factors of health inequities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to achieving improvements in people’s lives by reducing health inequities.
The ability to assess a patient’s social determinants of health is one of the best ways to predict the chance of developing conditions like asthma, COPD, and diabetes, as well as determine the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer.
Social determinants of health are nonmedical factors that can affect a person’s overall health and health outcomes. Where a person is born and the social conditions they are born into can affect their risk factors for premature death and their life expectancy.
What is the most important health determinant?
Higher income and social status are linked to improved health status. These two factors may be the most important determinants of health.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) 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.
Social and economic factors, such as income, education, employment, community safety, and social supports can significantly affect how well and how long we live. These factors affect our ability to make healthy choices, afford medical care and housing, manage stress, and more.
Healthcare experts are turning to housing security, food access, and transportation interventions to address social determinants of health.
- Working to address food security.
- Creating affordable housing.
- Driving care access through medical transportation.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a major impact on people’s health, well-being, and quality of life. Examples of SDOH include: Safe housing, transportation, and neighborhoods. Racism, discrimination, and violence.
Why is it critical to measure determinants of health?
Uncovering the social determinants of health and addressing them is critical for improving the health of populations because these factors affect patient health and the possibility of developing a chronic condition later in life. Addressing social needs begins with an effective strategy to assess those needs.
Factors are interrelated The factors that influence wellbeing are interrelated. For example, a job provides not just money but purpose, goals, friendships and a sense of belonging. Some factors also make up for the lack of others.
October 09, 2020 – The social determinants of health garnered a lot of attention once it became evident they can impact value-based care success….Income can impact:
- Educational attainment.
- Healthcare affordability, payer status.
- Housing status.
- Access to nutritious food.
- Numerous other domains.
In order for nurses to fulfill their potential addressing the social determinants of health, they must receive adequate education about the SDOH, benefit from a strong team-based care approach, and have access to ample community-based resources to which they may refer their patients in need.
Nurses are trained to consider the individual, family and community in evaluating clinical interventions by advocating for patients, providing education and supporting patients in their ability to self-manage their health.
The conditions in which people live and die are, in turn, shaped by political, social, and economic forces (CSDH 2008). According to WHO, the social conditions in which people are born, live and work is the single most important determinant of good health or ill health.