Health is about more than doctors, drugs and hospitals. It is about the circumstances in which we are born, develop, live, work and age. Social determinants of health are different personal, social, economic and environmental factors that influence individual and population health.
According to the World Health Organization, the social determinants of health can be categorized as follows:
- Conditions of daily life: Examples include early child development and education, food security, housing, social inclusion, transportation and work conditions
- Economic systems: Examples include economic inequality and financial systems
- Social infrastructure: Examples include access to health and health-related services and universal social programs
- Structural discrimination: Examples include sex and gender discrimination, racism and other divisions in society
- Trends in a changing world: Examples includes climate change, digital transformation and health emergencies
Research compiled by the Canadian Medical Association found 85 per cent of health outcomes are determined by our social, economic and physical environments, and by the actions of the healthcare system.
Addressing the social determinations of health appropriately is fundamental to improving health and reducing longstanding inequities in health.
Learn about our work addressing the social determinants of health.