Social Determinants of health: - Epidemiology

What are Social Determinants of Health?

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They encompass the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These factors can significantly impact a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.

Key Social Determinants of Health

Some major social determinants include:

Economic Stability
Education Access and Quality
Healthcare Access and Quality
Neighborhood and Built Environment
Social and Community Context

Why are Social Determinants Important in Epidemiology?

In epidemiology, understanding social determinants is crucial because they can help identify the root causes of health disparities and inform public health interventions. By examining these factors, epidemiologists can better understand how societal conditions contribute to the prevalence and distribution of diseases and health conditions.

How do Social Determinants Influence Health Outcomes?

Social determinants can influence health outcomes in numerous ways:

Economic Instability can lead to poor health due to lack of access to nutritious food, safe housing, and healthcare services.
Lack of education can result in lower health literacy, making it difficult for individuals to understand and follow medical advice.
Inadequate healthcare access can delay diagnosis and treatment, exacerbating health conditions.
Unhealthy neighborhoods may expose residents to environmental hazards and limit opportunities for physical activity.
Weak social networks can reduce emotional support and increase stress, negatively impacting mental health.

What Can Be Done to Address Social Determinants of Health?

Addressing social determinants requires a multi-faceted approach:

Implementing policies that promote economic stability and reduce poverty.
Improving education systems to ensure equitable access to quality education.
Enhancing healthcare infrastructure to provide affordable and accessible services for all.
Investing in community development to create safe and healthy living environments.
Fostering social cohesion and community support networks.

Conclusion

In the field of epidemiology, understanding and addressing social determinants of health is essential for tackling health disparities and improving population health. By focusing on these underlying factors, we can develop more effective public health strategies and interventions, ultimately leading to healthier communities.

Relevant Publications

Understanding anger with New Zealand-born Samoan youth: A Samoan qualitative exploration.

Issue Release: 2024

Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities and Self-Reported Work Productivity in Urinary Incontinence Females Using the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Data.

Issue Release: 2024

Race and Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Factors, and Epigenetic Age Acceleration in Survivors of Childhood Cancer.

Issue Release: 2024

The Construction and Meaning of Race Within Hypertension Guidelines: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Issue Release: 2024

Culturally Tailored Strategies to Enhance Type 2 Diabetes Care for South Asians in the United States.

Issue Release: 2024

Lipid Testing among Youth in Medicaid: The Role of Social Determinants of Health and Providers.

Issue Release: 2024

Residential history, the electronic health record, and clinical medicine: A descriptive study in a lung transplant cohort.

Issue Release: 2024

The health implications of neighborhood networks based on daily mobility in US cities.

Issue Release: 2024

Current trends and outcomes in cellular therapy activity in the United States, including prospective Patient Reported Outcomes data collection within the CIBMTR registry.

Issue Release: 2024

Evolution of HIV Health Care Workforce Needs in the U.S. Mountain West During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Method Study.

Issue Release: 2024

Sexual risk and testing for sexually transmissible infections in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous young South Australians: results of an online survey.

Issue Release: 2024

The Effect of 30-Day Adequate Transitions of Acute Stroke Care on 90-Day Readmission or Death.

Issue Release: 2024

Social Determinants of Health and Limitation of Life-Sustaining Therapy in Neurocritical Care: A CHoRUS Pilot Project.

Issue Release: 2024

Extending intersectional multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA) to study individual longitudinal trajectories, with application to mental health in the UK.

Issue Release: 2024

Neighborhood factors associated with late effects among survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer.

Issue Release: 2024

Public perceptions of the brand image of nursing: Cross-cultural differences between the United States and China.

Issue Release: 2024

Impact of Patient, Hospital, and Operative Characteristics relative to Social Determinants of Health: Compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for Colon Cancer.

Issue Release: 2024

Open versus Minimally Invasive Nephroureterectomy: Contemporary Analysis from a Wide National Population-Based Database.

Issue Release: 2024

Social and Structural Determinants of Health and Social Injustices Contributing to Obesity Disparities.

Issue Release: 2024

The Influences of SES on Patient Choice of Doctor: A Systematic Review.

Issue Release: 2024

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