About Social and Economic Conditions

Social and Economic Conditions

Social and economic conditions

Social and economic conditions affect people’s health. These conditions (also called “social determinants of health”) are conditions that people may be born into or fall into over the course of their lives. They are shaped by local, national and global distribution of resources and power.

People tend to be healthier when they have access to:

• Economic and financial stability
• Higher education
• Adequate health care
• Healthy neighborhoods and safe, strong communities

But when people don’t have access to these conditions, they experience worse health outcomes. This is health inequity – avoidable and unfair health outcomes.

Discrimination based on race (and other personal characteristics) often results in disparities in access to these conditions –and thus, disparities in health outcomes.