Determinants of Health

Xia and colleagues explore relationship between COVID prevalence and social determinants of health. Reference: Xia, Y., Ma, H., Moloney, G., Velásquez García, H. A., Sirski, M., Janjua, N. Z., Vickers, D., Williamson, T., Katz, A., Yu, K., Kustra, R., Buckeridge, D. L., Brisson, M., Baral, S. D., Mishra, S., & Maheu-Giroux, M. (2022). Geographical concentration of covid-19 cases by social determinants of health in 16 large metropolitan areas in Canada – a cross-sectional study. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 194(6), E195–E204. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.23.21261039

Reference: Research and information on COVID-19: Social Determinants of Health. Health System News Research and Information on COVID-19: Social Determinants of Health. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2022, from https://www.oha.com/news/research-and-information-on-covid-19-social-determinants-of-health

Sundaram and colleagues explore testing and positivity rates of COVID-19 in Ontario and relates the ifnormation to social determinants of health. Reference: Sundaram, M. E., PhD., Calzavara, A., M.S., Mishra, S.,M.D.PhD., Kustra, R., PhD., Chan, A. K., M.D., Hamilton, M. A., B.S., Djebli, M., B.S., Rosella, L. C., PhD., Watson, T., M.P.H., Chen, H., PhD., Chen, B., M.Sc, Baral, S. D., M.D., & Kwong, J. C., M.D. (2021). Individual and social determinants of SARS-CoV-2 testing and positivity in Ontario, Canada: a population-wide study: CMAJ. Canadian Medical Association.Journal, 193(20), E723-E734. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.202608

The social determinants of health (SDH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. Reference: World Health Organization. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. World Health Organization. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1

Raphael, D., & Bryant, T. (2022). Emerging themes in social determinants of Health Theory and Research. International Journal of Health Services, 52(4), 428–432. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207314221109515

Ontario Government reviews hallway healthcare and the factors causing strain on the healthcare system, relating these to social determinants of health. Reference: Hallway Healthcare, A System Under Strain, Chapter 4: Immediate and long-term capacity pressures. Ontario.ca. (2019, June 24). Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.ontario.ca/document/hallway-health-care-system-under-strain/chapter-4-immediate-and-long-term-capacity-pressures#section-3

This publication by Raphael and colleagues dives into the social determinants of health in Canada in detail. Each of 18 sections describes current state, and the publication urges the reader to consider next steps and what we can do. References: Raphael, D., Bryant, T., Mikkonen, J., & Raphael, A. (2020). Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts, 2nd Edition. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://thecanadianfacts.org/The_Canadian_Facts-2nd_ed.pdf

CAMH defines 15 social determinants of health in Canada and relates them to mental health services. Reference: Social determinants of health. CMHA Ontario. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://ontario.cmha.ca/provincial-policy/social-determinants/

Government of Canada website describes social determinants of health and outlines existing inequalities in healthcare/access related to these. Reference: Canada, P. H. A. of. (2022, June 14). Government of Canada. Social determinants of health and health inequalities - Canada.ca. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html