Social determinants of health The social (or wider) determinants of health refer to the social, cultural, political, economic, commercial and environmental factors that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age
Some key social determinants of health are: our education and employment opportunities; our housing; our social networks; and where we live and the extent it facilitates exercise, a good diet and social connection. The Health Foundation’s programme of work on healthy lives complements our portfolio of work to improve health care delivery, and draws on our experience of making change happen in complex systems.
Our recent work and content on this topic is listed below.
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Creating healthy lives
This publication makes the case for an ambitious, whole-government approach to long-term investment in the nation’s health. It includes five big shifts needed to embed a shared goal to improve health ...
New healthy life expectancy figures highlight long-term challenges for the country
Health Foundation response to healthy life expectancy statistics
ITT: Learning and collaboration partner
We're looking to commission a supplier to work with us to support learning and help foster collaboration between the postholders within the Young people’s future health inquiry: building the policy ag...
The evidence is clear and the solutions are there – what is needed is the will to act
Jennifer Dixon looks to the government to develop an explicit strategy to tackle the wider determinants of health and reduce health inequalities.
A voice for future generations in Wales
Sophie Howe is Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, overseeing implementation of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.
What does a health-enhancing economy look like?
A preview of new work exploring how economic development strategies can be used to improve health and reduce health inequalities.
A terrible time for teens? – worrying messages from Michael Marmot for today’s young people
Martina Kane writes about the teenage boys who live down the road from her, and wonders, will they be healthy?
Our future generations deserve a whole-government approach to health and wellbeing
An overview of the headlines from the new Marmot report, and what they mean for the health of future generations.
Government must take action to level up the health and wellbeing of the population
Health Foundation response to the launch of Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On.
Highlighting the health inequalities faced by young people in the UK
Ann Hagell and Rahkee Shah from the Association of Young People's Health explores inequalities faced by young people in the UK based on health-specific data for those aged 10–24.
One in three employees report being in low-quality jobs
New Health Foundation research finds that one in three UK employees report being in low-quality jobs. The analysis also shows that people in low-quality jobs are much more likely to have poor health a...
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