CR3 News Magazine 2022 VOL 4: SEPTEMBER -- RADON AND SCHOOLS | Page 17

Every child deserves an equal chance to be healthy!

https://health.gov/healthypeople

Does Healthy People 2030 Address SDOH?

HOW

Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a major impact on people’s health, well-being, and quality of life. Examples of SDOH include:

* Safe housing, transportation, and neighborhoods

* Racism, discrimination, and violence

* Education, job opportunities, and income

* Access to nutritious foods and physical activity

opportunities

* Polluted air and water

* Language and literacy skills

SDOH also contribute to wide health disparities and inequities. For example, people who don't have access to grocery stores with healthy foods are less likely to have good nutrition. That raises their risk of health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity — and even lowers life expectancy relative to people

who do have access to healthy foods.

Just promoting healthy choices won't eliminate these and other health disparities. Instead, public health organizations and their partners in sectors like education, transportation, and housing need to take action to improve the conditions in people's environments.

That's why Healthy People 2030 has an increased and overarching focus on SDOH.

One of Healthy People 2030’s five overarching goals is specifically related to SDOH: “Create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all.”

In line with this goal, Healthy People 2030 features many objectives related to SDOH. These objectives highlight the importance of "upstream" factors — usually unrelated to health care delivery —

in improving health and reducing health disparities.

More than a dozen workgroups made up of subject matter experts with different backgrounds and areas of expertise developed these objectives. One of these groups, the  Social Determinants of Health Workgroup, focuses solely on SDOH.

17