There Are 5 Social Determinants of Health—Here’s What That Means, and How They Influence Your Care

June 9, 2021

Wellness has typically been viewed in terms of diet, exercise, and, more recently, mental health. It’s easy to assume that if you’re taking care of these elements, your overall health is in good shape. While that can be true on one level, other factors also go into determining how healthy you are, things you may not have given much thought.

An important group of factors getting more attention lately are the social determinants of health. You can’t calculate them as easily as, say, how many cups of veggies you should eat in a day. They’re the things within your social and physical environment that shape the healthy practices and habits of your upbringing and day-to-day life. Though you may not consciously think about them, they have a powerful influence.

***

“People who lack insurance and therefore have to pay for care out of pocket are more likely to avoid seeking screening or treatment, which means they will suffer worse outcomes such as more or worse symptoms, faster progression of illness, and in some cases, premature mortality,” Dawne Mouzon, PhD, MPH, associate professor at the Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, tells Health.

Health, June 7, 2021

Recent Posts

Healthcare, Policy, and the Opioid Crisis: Bridging Gaps in Access

Healthcare, Policy, and the Opioid Crisis: Bridging Gaps in Access with Zoe Lindenfeld This week on EJB Talks, new Bloustein School Assistant Professor Zoe Lindenfeld talks to Dean Stuart Shapiro about her research on substance use disorders, particularly the opioid...

Public Policy and Surveillance Tech

By Marc Pfeiffer ICMA.org, February 1, 2025 I asked Claude.ai to define surveillance technology. In response, it replied, “devices, systems, or software that are used to monitor, track, and collect information on people, places, or things.” Municipalities use a wide...

Lindenfeld & Mauri Find Uptick for MOUD at FQHCs

Introduction To reduce morbidity and mortality among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD), the evidence is strongest for medications for OUD (MOUD), which include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are essential...

NJSPL: Ensuring Accurate & Equitable Vaccination Info

By Yonaira Rivera and Vivek Singh  In today’s digital world, large language models like ChatGPT are important sources of healthcare information, particularly for those who face barriers like insurance issues or language constraints. As part of the IMPACT-NJ project,...

2025 IHC Grant Program Funding Opportunities

The New Jersey Inclusive Healthy Communities (IHC) grant program has announced its latest Request for Proposals (RFP) for grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to advance policy and systems change through the inclusion of people with disabilities to...

Upcoming Events

Event Series CAREERS

Virtual Career Drop-ins

Virtual

Stop by virtually on Mondays (except for holidays) beginning February 3 through April 28 between 11 am and 1 pm to ask a quick (15 min) career-related question of Bloustein […]