Overview

A growing body of knowledge has revealed the profound impact of the social determinants of healthDLthe social, political, and economic factors apart from health care that influence health. The question is no longer if social factors are important influences on health, but rather how social factors operate and how to address them most effectively, efficiently, and equitably. Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities is a comprehensive resource for students and educators to understand the wide-ranging effects of social and political factors, including racism, on individual health. Drawing on Paula Braveman's seminal work in health equity, this volume explains how upstream drivers like law and policy are at the beginning of causal chains influencing health, and in particular how systemic issues like racism are core drivers of health outcomes. Each chapter examines how different social determinants of healthDLsuch as income, education, stress, work, and racismDLare impacted by upstream social factors and how those factors influence health and health disparities through complex pathways. Chapters also include approaches for future practitioners and policymakers to most effectively activate health-promoting pathways while interrupting health-damaging ones. Complete with chapter summaries and discussion questions, Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities is the definitive classroom guide to understanding and addressing social disparities in health, particularly racial and socioeconomic disparities.

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9780190624118

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Reviews

The author has thought deeply about the issues discussed in this book, and has analyzed and described them with clarity. I strongly endorse The Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities. * Nancy Adler, former Director, UCSF Center for Health and Community * This is a well-researched, insightful, and accessible text designed for readers without prior knowledge of the social determinants of health. It addresses controversies and policy implications in a thoughtful manner. It is an authoritative resource from one of the world's most recognized experts. * Georges C. Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association * The concept of social determinants of health changes the way we need to think about health and the fair distribution of health in populations. It is supported by a rich scientific literature. The concepts and the evidence are all beautifully and clearly laid out in this book. It will be a wonderful and necessary resource. * Michael Marmot, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity and Chair, WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health * This is an extremely valuable and accessible resource for faculty and students, as well as the general public. Comprehensive and insightful, it elegantly demystifies the social determinants of health and how they influence health, with an in-depth look at racism-one of the most powerful social determinants. * David R. Williams, Chair, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health *

Author Information

Paula Braveman, MD, MPH, is Professor of Family and Community Medicine and Founding Director of the Center for Health Equity at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Braveman has studied and published extensively on health equity, health disparities, racism, and other social determinants of health. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with local, state, national, and international health agencies to see rigorous research translated into practice for greater health equity, including the World Health Organization and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2002, considered one of the highest honors for U.S. scientists working in the field of health.

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