Social Determinants of Health

Over the last century in the U.S. we have relied on the health care system as the primary mechanism for improving health outcomes. While the health care system will continue to play a critical role in improving health outcomes, there is now widely accepted evidence that efforts to improve health also require broader approaches that address the social, economic, and environmental factors that impact health. This presentation identifies and discusses some of the key social determinants of health and how an understanding of the social determinants of health can be used to create policies to improve health outcomes. Darren Hendrickson is the chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology at Eastern Illinois University. His areas of specialization are in the fields of medical sociology and environmental sociology. Dr. Hendrickson’s research interests include the social and economic aspects of complementary and alternative medicine in the United States and the sociodemographics of environmental concern.https://thekeep.eiu.edu/lib_exhibits_health_reform_video/1001/thumbnail.jp