SDoH
Social determinants of health (SDoH)
Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that shape health. Our experience has been that the environments in which these conditions take place – often referred to as “place” – are shaped in part by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national and local community levels. Where individuals may fall on the money distribution scale can determine how they experience “place.” Research believes social determinants drive over 80% of a person’s health outcomes. Therefore, SDoH is largely responsible for health inequities – the unfair and avoidable differences in health status that exist both within and between communities. Whether it’s access to food, transportation, financial services, or education, addressing social determinants is a critical component of both quality of care and quality of life.
For more than three decades, HCDI has worked to bring health education, services, and resources to low-income families in communities across this country. Using our Parachute TM and Human-Centered Design methodologies, we have learned first-hand that for some in our society, their best attempts at staying healthy are too often thwarted by factors simply out of their control. At HCDI, we believe that to address the complexities of SDoH effectively, advances are needed not only in health care but across various industries and sectors of society. Our work, on behalf of clients whose business challenges require solutions rooted in addressing SDoH, reflects our passion for providing access and opportunities to society’s most vulnerable populations.
We offer an immense understanding of:
HCDI subscribes to the “place-based” organizing framework described by healthypeople.gov; this identifies the five key SDoH sectors and their underlying factors.
Economic stability
Education
Social and community context
Health and health care
Neighborhood and built environment