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Identifying and tackling social determinants of health (SDOH) are crucial aspects of any health equity strategy. But establishing how best to capture patients’ SDOH needs and develop interventions in the clinical setting remains a significant challenge for many healthcare organizations.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defines SDOH as “the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.”
Common social determinants of population health include education, health literacy, housing and neighborhood, food security, crime and violence, English language proficiency, transportation access, and social isolation.
However, additional considerations, such as climate change and environmental factors, adverse childhood experiences, and political determinants of health, are becoming more prevalent in conversations around SDOH and health equity.