Which statement best describes social determinants of health?

• A. Health determinants include only medical care and genetics.
• B. Non-medical factors shaping health outcomes; examples include income, education, housing, employment, neighborhood safety, and access to care.
• C. Health outcomes are determined solely by personal lifestyle choices.
• D. Social determinants are a concept used only in social sciences, not public health.

Answer: (B)

Social determinants of health are the non-medical factors in the places where people live, work, and age that influence health outcomes. They include income, education, housing, employment, neighborhood safety, and access to care, and they affect opportunities, exposure to risks, stress, and the ability to adopt healthy behaviors.

This emphasis on non-medical factors and concrete examples makes the statement capturing SDOH. Medical care and genetics are important, but they don’t account for the broader conditions that shape health. Health outcomes aren’t determined solely by personal lifestyle choices, either. And social determinants are a central concept in public health, not just in social sciences.