Social Determinants of Health

Social determinants of health are the nonclinical factors that affect health outcomes. They include systemic racism, along with social and community conditions, health care access, education, neighborhood and housing, environmental quality, and economic stability. The Center for American Progress prioritizes social and economic policies that are critical across the social determinants of health to optimize health and achieve health equity.

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How To Make America Sick Article
A patient waits for radiation treatment.

How To Make America Sick

The Trump administration’s plan to “Make America Healthy Again” will make Americans’ health worse.

Donald Berwick

The Trump Administration’s Assault on Environmental Protections Will Give Polluters a Free Pass While Causing Millions of Asthma Attacks Report
Cars sit in traffic as the sun sets behind a veil of smog.

The Trump Administration’s Assault on Environmental Protections Will Give Polluters a Free Pass While Causing Millions of Asthma Attacks

The Trump administration’s plan to weaken clean air protections could cause more than 10,000 asthma attacks per day while cutting lifesaving asthma prevention programs and as House Republicans seek to slash pollution reduction efforts, clean technology investments, and essential health care coverage—all to give tax breaks to billionaires.

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Will Help Millions of Seniors and Improve Health Equity Article
Photo shows three orange prescription drug bottles—one full with the cap off, and two next to it with the caps screwed on—on an assembly line

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Will Help Millions of Seniors and Improve Health Equity

The Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare drug price negotiation provision will improve access to and affordability of medications that help women, Black, Hispanic or Latino, LGBTQI+, and disabled beneficiaries.

Gillian Tisdale, Nicole Rapfogel

Strengthening Early Childhood Health, Housing, Education, and Economic Well-Being Through Holistic Public Policy Report
A child stacks duplo legos to make a tower in a Head Start classroom for children ages 3 to 5.

Strengthening Early Childhood Health, Housing, Education, and Economic Well-Being Through Holistic Public Policy

The preschool years present a critical developmental period sensitive to changes in public health and social policy, for which robust investments in programs that support families can improve intergenerational outcomes.

Allie Schneider, Hailey Gibbs

CAP’s Comments on FDA Draft Guidance for Lead Levels in Foods Marketed to Babies and Young Children Article

CAP’s Comments on FDA Draft Guidance for Lead Levels in Foods Marketed to Babies and Young Children

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to the agency’s proposed draft guidance intended to reduce lead in foods marketed for infants and young children.

Jill Rosenthal, Hailey Gibbs, Allie Schneider

Nonprofit Hospitals Can Improve Community Health Through Housing Investments Report
Exterior of IRS building

Nonprofit Hospitals Can Improve Community Health Through Housing Investments

Nonprofit hospitals have an obligation to provide community benefit; as part of this, they should do more to support the housing needs of the communities they serve.

Marquisha Johns, Nicole Rapfogel

How the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity Can Respond to the Health Threats of the Climate Crisis Report

How the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity Can Respond to the Health Threats of the Climate Crisis

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Climate Change and Health Equity must elevate the health and environmental justice implications of the climate crisis and provide the connective tissue needed to harness resources, leverage authorities, and coordinate federal expertise.

Jill Rosenthal, Marquisha Johns

Rep. Wendy E.N Thomas: Infrastructure Bill will help mitigate ‘forever chemicals’ In the News

Rep. Wendy E.N Thomas: Infrastructure Bill will help mitigate ‘forever chemicals’

In an op-ed, New Hampshire state Rep. Wendy E.N. Thomas (D) describes how contaminated drinking water contributed to deteriorating public health in her community. Thomas explains how federal grants from the Biden administration’s infrastructure policies are delivering long-awaited relief to affected communities.

the New Hampshire Union Leader

Wendy E.N. Thomas

Film Screening: ‘InHospitable’ Past Event

Film Screening: ‘InHospitable’

This documentary film sheds light on the impacts of hospital consolidation and the conduct of non-profit hospitals.

Center for American Progress

A Strong Start in Life: How Public Health Policies Affect the Well-Being of Pregnancies and Families Report
A mother kisses her child as her midwife examines her at a birthing center in South Los Angeles.

A Strong Start in Life: How Public Health Policies Affect the Well-Being of Pregnancies and Families

Understanding how the key social determinants of health—including housing, employment, and education—affect perinatal health is critical to ensuring that federal policies support healthy babies and families.

Hailey Gibbs, Marquisha Johns, Osub Ahmed, 2 More Maggie Jo Buchanan, Arohi Pathak

Fact Sheet: Top 10 Ways To Improve Health and Health Equity Fact Sheet
A 3-year-old girl keeps a close eye on the needle as both her grandparents are vaccinated.

Fact Sheet: Top 10 Ways To Improve Health and Health Equity

To improve health and well-being, policymakers must act to address inequities, infrastructure, and social determinants of health that contribute to poor health.

Jill Rosenthal, Nicole Rapfogel, Marquisha Johns

Top 10 Ways To Improve Health and Health Equity Report
A medical staff member holds the hand of a patient admitted to the COVID-19 intensive care unit for treatment.

Top 10 Ways To Improve Health and Health Equity

Policies to strengthen the nation’s health must ensure that individuals and communities are healthy, thriving, and inclusive through long-term, sustained investments.

Jill Rosenthal, Nicole Rapfogel, Marquisha Johns

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