Social Determinants of Health & Build the Foundation

You probably know that your genetics and your individual behaviors, habits, and choices have an impact on your overall health. But did you know that there are also social determinants of health that account for as much as half of your health outcomes? These include things like access to quality education, access to quality health care, impacts of a particular built environment, economic stability, and a person’s social and community context. The strategies we discuss in this course are designed to help you recognize the impact of social determinants of health. We’ll focus on opportunities you have to address social determinants and help elevate the health of people in the communities you serve.

After this course:

- You will be able to identify how a person’s health can be impacted by five key characteristics of the conditions in which they live and work

- You will be able to list five important social determinants of health and describe their impact on a person’s wellbeing

- You will be able to use screening strategies to identify the social and environmental factors that may be impacting a patient’s health

- You will be able to refer patients to resources in their communities that can address their particular challenges

- You will be able to help your practice reduce barriers to accessing healthcare