Social Determinants of Health
Extending Healing and Wholeness to All
Reflection By Scott Stoner
Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
- Proverbs 31:8-9
We are well aware that the choices we make as individuals affect our health and well-being. We are also mindful that genetics also plays an essential role. In addition to these two factors, there is a third factor that we may not be as aware of: the social determinants of health.
Social determinants of health encompass larger systemic factors, including income, education, housing quality, neighborhood safety, food access, transportation, and healthcare access. These factors interact and create health disparities across populations.
Understanding this helps us expand our focus on loving our neighbor to think beyond direct service to individuals and consider how we can impact the systemic factors that contribute to poor health. Jesus calls us not only to love and serve individuals, but also to work toward creating more equitable conditions that promote health for all people. For example, when a faith-based group opens a healthcare clinic in an underserved area, it is doing both—providing care for individuals and addressing the systemic issue of providing access to quality healthcare for all.
Making It Personal: What are your thoughts about the concept of social determinants of health? Do you see a need in your community where you or your faith community could, in the words of Proverbs 31, “Speak out for those who cannot speak”?