Social Determinants of Health

The social environment encompasses social and economic factors such as income, education, employment status and working conditions, social networks and community cohesion. The physical environment includes the natural environment (clean air, water and soil), the built environment (land use patterns, zoning and community design) and living conditions such as the availability of safe and affordable housing, transportation and nutritious foods.

The Institute of Medicine expresses the critical relationship between social, economic and environmental conditions and health in this way, “Interventions to improve access to medical care and reduce behavioral risk have only limited potential for success if the larger societal and economic context in which people live is not improved.”

In this section, you'll find resouces grouped by sector. You'll also find that many of the articles and web sites recognize the importance of bridging traditionally separate sectors to create healthy and vital communities, and opportunity for all.