Assignment:
Introduction to Social Determinants of Health
Healthy People 2020 defines social determinants of health as the conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
Healthy People 2020 has developed the social determinants of health model to integrate social and physical factors that have a significant influence on population health outcomes.
Examples of social determinants include:
• Access to educational, economic, and job opportunities
• Access to health care services
• Public safety
• Social support
• Social norms and attitudes (e.g., discrimination, racism, and distrust of government)
• Exposure to crime, violence, and social disorder
• Residential segregation
• Language/Literacy
• Access to mass media and emerging technologies
• Culture
Examples of physical determinants include:
• Natural environment, such as green space (e.g., trees and grass)
• Built environment, such as buildings, sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads
• Housing and community design
• Exposure to toxic substances and other physical hazards
• Physical barriers
• Aesthetic elements
Policies aimed at improving the social and economic conditions of populations implement the social determinants of health to influence opportunities for individuals to change behavior.
For this Discussion, select a peer-reviewed article that describes a social determinant of health. Consider the implications of the social determinant of health explored in the article for public health practice.