Online Program

Oral

The social determinants of health are the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, work, and age, as well as the systems put in place to deal with illness. These circumstances are in turn shaped by a wider set of forces: economics, social policies, and politics (Social Determinants of Health Key Concepts, World Health Organization). According to a report entitled Closing the Gap in a Generation by the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health, “Social justice is a matter of life and death. It affects the way people live, their consequent chance of illness, and their risk of premature death… avoidable health inequalities, arise because of the circumstances in which people grow, live, work, and age, and the systems put in place to deal with illness. The conditions in which people live and die are, in turn, shaped by political, social, and economic forces.” It is a well established fact that where we live can be a fairly reliable indicator of health status. It is also well established that having a healthy lifestyle is essential to leading a healthy and productive life. We also know that where we live influences our health choices. For example you can’t get a good education in an area where there are no good schools and you can eat a healthy diet in an area where there is limited access to healthy food.

Session Objectives: Our expert panel will explore and assess how environmental, genetic, and biological factors interact to influence health status.