Also included in Appendices A and B are tables displaying the metrics for indicators that could impact multiple AHIs. Referred to here as Social Determinants of Health, these are indicators that could be included in community health improvement plans in order to move the needle on more than one Assessed Health Issues.

 

Often, Social Determinants of Health are referenced in the context of upstream factors that can ultimately impact an individual’s health. For example, studies have long shown that tobacco use can have dire health consequences. By limiting behaviors that can lead to tobacco use (limiting use by minors, disallowing tobacco use in public areas, etc.) the overall future health of an individual might be positively impacted. Broadly, these Social Determinants of Health fall into six categories: economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context, and health behaviors.