What are Social Determinants of Health?

Social Determinants of Health are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health outcomes and risks. These non-medical factors include economic stability, education, social context, healthcare access, and neighborhood characteristics that significantly impact overall health and well-being.

Why are Social Determinants of Health important?

• Health influence: Account for an estimated 80-90% of health outcomes.
• Health equity: Help explain and address disparities between population groups.
• Comprehensive approach: Extend healthcare beyond medical treatment to root causes.

Key Social Determinants of Health

• Economic factors such as employment, income, and housing stability.
• Educational access and quality from early childhood through higher education.
• Community context including transportation, safety, and social support.

How Solace can help

A Solace advocate can help identify social factors affecting your health, connect you with community resources addressing those needs, and ensure your healthcare providers understand your social context. They can assist with applications for assistance programs, find transportation options to healthcare appointments, locate affordable housing resources, and bridge communication gaps between medical and social service providers.