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MERGING THE POLITICAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH: ENHANCING THE STUDY OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES

Laura Elizabeth Kmentt·Daniel James Anderson
Published 19 February 2025
Vol. 11, No. 4 (2023)
pp. 10-26
CC BY 4.0
  1. 1
    Laura Elizabeth Kmentt
    Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
    GB
  2. 2
    Daniel James Anderson
    Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
    GB

The World Health Organization's definition of health as complete physical, mental, and social well-being, rather than mere absence of disease, underlines the significance of universal well-being. However, access to such well-being is far from uniform across the global population. Over the past three decades, these disparities have been illuminated by the framework of "social determinants of health" (SDH), as defined by the WHO. SDH encompasses the conditions in which individuals are born, raised, reside, labor, and age, serving as the fundamental drivers of these conditions. These factors range from economic measures like GDP per capita to community aspects such as educational institutions, public transportation, and even the prevalence of fast-food chains. While the availability and quality of medical care influence health outcomes, they have a more limited role in determining the initial susceptibility to illness. This abstract underscores the essential role of SDH in shaping health disparities globally, reflecting the complex interplay between social, economic, and environmental factors that impact individuals' well-being

JournalColumbia Journal of Health Sciences and Nursing
ISSN2998-8179
Volume / IssueVol. 11, No. 4 (2023)
Pages10-26
Published19 February 2025
Access Open Access
LicenseCC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution
PublisherKeith Publications
Kmentt, L., Anderson, D. (2025). MERGING THE POLITICAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH: ENHANCING THE STUDY OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES. Columbia Journal of Health Sciences and Nursing, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 10-26

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