A Framework For Educating Health Professionals To Address The Social Determinants Of Health Introduction

This chapter sets the stage for the rest of the report, which presents a holistic, comprehensive framework in response to the study committee's statement of task. Critical to this framework is an understanding of the term "social determinants of health," which all health professionals have a role in addressing. Some health professionals will specialize in the care of individuals, while others will focus on population-based interventions designed to impact the health of communities. Regardless of this orientation, all health professionals need to develop an understanding during their foundational education and training of the outside forces that impact a person's, community's, or population's health and well-being. Subsequent chapters offer concrete examples of programs and frameworks addressing elements of the social determinants of health, while this chapter focuses on theoretical constructs put forth by researchers and high-level commissions that form much of the basis for the committee's framework.