Explore Resources Related to the Social Determinants of Health
Nearly everyone is impacted by the social determinants of health in one way or another. Healthy People 2020 organizes the social determinants of health around five key domains: (1) Economic Stability, (2) Education, (3) Health and Health Care, (4) Neighborhood and Built Environment, and (5) Social and Community Context.
To create effective programs, we must work collaboratively across sectors to address the unique needs of their community. Below are a variety of resources, organized by domain, to help you get started and explore the ways communities across the country are addressing social determinants of health.
Economic Stability
- Poverty
- Employment
- Food Insecurity
- Housing Instability
Education
- High School Graduation
- Enrollment in Higher Education
- Language and Literacy
- Early Childhood Education and Development
Health and Health Care
- Access to Health Care
- Access to Primary Care
- Health Literacy
Neighborhood and Built Environment
- Access to Foods that Support Healthy Eating Patterns
- Quality of Housing
- Crime and Violence
- Environmental Conditions
Social and Community Context
- Social Cohesion
- Civic Participation
- Discrimination
- Incarceration
SDOH Literature Summaries
| SDOH Literature Summaries | Related Domains |
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Access to Health Services
Find out how access to health services can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Access to Primary Care
Find out how access to primary care can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Crime and Violence
Find out how crime and violence can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Enrollment in Higher Education
Find out how enrollment in higher education can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Environmental Conditions
Find out how environmental conditions can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Food Insecurity
Find out how food insecurity can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Housing Instability
Find out how housing instability can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Quality of Housing
Find out how quality of housing can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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Social Cohesion
Find out how social cohesion can affect health outcomes and health disparities. |
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National, State, and Local Resources
Review these resources to see how others have worked to address and improve the social determinants of health across the Nation.
| State Resources | Related Domains |
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A Primer on Active Living for Government Officials (ActiveLiving Leadership) [PDF - 836 KB] Introduction to how state and local officials and government agencies can promote active living in policy decisions |
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Children’s Health in All Policies: A Workbook (Kansas Health Institute) [PDF - 501 KB] Tool for identifying effective policy solutions to improve children's health |
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Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation (CHANGE): Building a Foundation of Knowledge to Prioritize Community Needs — An Action Guide (CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Communities Program) [PDF - 5.1 MB] Data collection tool and planning resource to help community members identify and monitor important policy, systems, and environmental changes |
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Health Action: A 2020 Vision for Sonoma County, Action Plan 2013–2016 (Sonoma County Department of Health Services, California) [PDF - 867 KB] Action plan to address key determinants of health and well-being using 7 guiding principles and 10 high-level goals |
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Health Equity Initiative (Multnomah County Health Department, Oregon) Countywide effort focused on health inequities that encourages local collaboration to support policy change and monitor results |
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Health in All Policies: Strategies to Promote Innovative Leadership (ASTHO, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials) Resource to educate and empower public health leaders to promote Health in All Policies (HiAP) and the National Prevention Strategy |
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Identifying Effective Catalysts for Action Toward Community Health (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute) [PDF - 858 KB] Report on improving health in underserved communities based on effective communication strategies |
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Safe Routes to School State Network Project (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Project to ensure that states spend federal funding for Safe Routes to School and increase physical activity opportunities for children |
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Technical Guidance for Health Impact Assessment in Alaska (State of Alaska HIA Program, Department of Health and Social Services) Toolkit to support the production of appropriate Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) when they are initiated by a government agency or stakeholder |
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Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Society and Health Academic research website that analyzes data on social determinants of health to engage communities and inform policymakers |
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State Initiatives in Support of Advancing Health Equity and Optimal Health for All (ASTHO, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials) Map of state-level initiatives to support health equity |
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| Local Resources | Related Domains |
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A Primer on Active Living for Government Officials (ActiveLiving Leadership) [PDF - 836 KB] Introduction to how state and local officials and government agencies can promote active living in policy decisions |
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America’s Tomorrow: Equity is the Superior Growth Model (PolicyLink) Tools for tracking measurement strategies, benchmarks, and desired outcomes in equitable policy change |
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Building Social and Health Equity (Alameda County Public Health Department, California) Presentations, data, and resources on achieving social and health equity through organizational transformation, community collaborations, and policy change |
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Built Environment and Health Handbook (Tri-County Health Department – Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, Colorado) Guide to help planning professionals create community environments that promote health |
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Center for Health Equity and Social Justice (Boston Public Health Commission, Massachusetts) Support network for public health organizations working toward health equity through community mobilization, participatory research, and program development |
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Center for Health Equity (City of Milwaukee Health Department, Wisconsin) [PDF - 794 KB] Model on using policy-level interventions to improve the social and economic conditions that affect health equity |
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City of Richmond Health in All Policies Toolkit (Richmond, California) Toolkit that outlines the development of the Health in All Policies (HiAP) initiative supported by The California Endowment |
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Denver's Community Health Improvement (Be Healthy Denver, Colorado) [PDF - 4.5 MB] Citywide plan to assess and improve access to care, healthy eating, and active living |
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Equity Matters: Promoting Equity-in-All Policy (Baltimore, Maryland) Organization that trains community members and policy leaders to develop problem-solving strategies related to health equity |
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Green Bronx Machine (New York City, New York) Community program that focuses on access to healthy food, economic development, and sustainable resources |
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Creating a Healthy and Safe City: The Impact of Violence in New Haven (New Haven Equity Alliance, Connecticut) [PDF - 1.9 MB] Report on identifying and developing policies that address root causes of violence |
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Health Impact Assessment:
Bringing Public Health Data to Decision Making (The PEW Charitable Trusts and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) [PDF - 542 KB] Overview of tool that assesses potential health impact of new projects during the planning stage |
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Healthiest Polk County 2015 (Polk County Health Department, Wisconsin) Health improvement plan to mobilize communities to address physical activity, safe food, tobacco use, and mental health |
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Healthy Baltimore 2015: A city where all residents realize their full health potential (Baltimore City Health Department, Maryland) [PDF - 4.7 MB] Citywide health policy agenda that highlights priority areas such as health-promoting neighborhoods |
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Healthy Communities: A Resource Guide for Delaware Municipalities (Delaware Health and Social Services) [PDF - 2.1 MB] Guide for improving community walkability to enhance health and economic stability |
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King County Equity and Social Justice Team (King County, Washington) Tools and resources to help departments and agencies increase equity and social justice work |
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PlaNYC: A Greener, Greater New York (The City of New York, New York) [PDF - 48.2 MB] Agenda to implement sustainability measures and create infrastructure in New York |
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Playworks (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Model for increasing physical activity opportunities in low-income areas |
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Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability (San Francisco Department of Public Health, California) Collaborative model for advancing awareness, research, and policy-making around healthy environments and social justice |
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Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health (CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) [PDF - 4.7 MB] Workbook of case studies and methods to help public health professionals address social determinants of health at the local level |
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Strategic Plan 2011-2015 (Monterey County Health Department, California) [PDF - 2.1 MB] Strategic plan to increase access to care, reduce documented health disparities, and provide regional prevention services |
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Take Care New York (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York) Strategic health agenda to address the leading causes of preventable illness and premature death in New York City |
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The Green House Project Innovative model for improving quality of life of older adults in institutional long-term care |
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Transforming the Health of our City: Chicago Answers the Call (Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois) [PDF - 2.4 MB] Citywide action plan to achieve measurable health targets and set policy, programmatic, and educational & public awareness strategies |
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Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Society and Health Academic research website that analyzes data on social determinants of health to engage communities and inform policymakers |
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HP2020 Social Determinants of Health Objectives
Explore these objectives to view national data and measurement details.
Evidence-based Resources (EBR)
Explore evidence-based resources and programs that address the social determinants of health.
