Social determinants of health
Conditions of early childhood and schooling
-- Are parents or care givers able to spend encouraging time
with children?
-- Are parents working two and three jobs?
-- Have parents developed the skills to read to their children or
encourage their social and intellectual growth?
-- Are teachers well trained and educational systems
encouraging of different learning styles?
-- Do local schools have enough of a tax base to adequately
fund education?
Kinds of employment and working conditions
-- Are jobs that pay a living wage available  and accessible?
-- Do jobs available offer paid sick days or health insurance?
-- Do job available bring high stress and little control?
The physical form of the built environment
-- Are there safe places to be active outside?
-- Are there sidewalks?
polluting the water?
Public policies
-- Do fair housing laws exist and are they enforced?
-- Is their access to sound, basic education for everyone?
-- Is smoking allowed in work places where low-income workers
are likely to be exposed such as restaurants?
There is a prevailing myth in America
that a peoples' health choices are
completely within their control.  In fact,
the social determinants of health
significantly limit or enhance the
opportunity individuals have to make
healthy choices.  The communities we
live in greatly impact our choices and
ability to be healthy.
Social determinants of health
include, for example:
Image from Overcoming Obstacles to Health,
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008
Health disparities are not a
problem just in poor countries but
in every country on earth.
Join the local ABIPA advocacy
team to work with other advocates
in Asheville and Buncombe County
to advance health equity and parity.
Click here and ask to be added to
the team.
Global  - and local-
Health Equity
movement
released a report that launches a
global movement to bring health
planet.