Health Inequities and the Social Determinants of Health

Abstract

The health of individuals and populations is influenced by many variables. These include genetics and biology, but perhaps more important than these are the social determinants of health. The social, political and economic circumstances in which people live their lives are critical in determining how long they live and with what burden of ill health. These differences are very marked between countries, for example a 15-year-old boy in Lesotho has about a 10% chance of living until the age of 60, compared with a 15-year-old boy in Sweden who has a 91% chance of living to 60 (Marmot, 2005). The differences are not, however, limited to those between countries; within countries, people’s life expectancies vary according to where they live, their educational opportunities, what kind of work they do and how much they earn. Study of the social determinants of health has informed our understanding of patterns of health and ill health and led to discussion about the moral implications of these patterns, and possible actions to reduce disparities (Anand, Peter & Sen, 2004).