5.2 Importance of Social Determinants of Health

This lesson includes information about social determinants of health and why they are important. Note that this is part 2 of 2, and that the previous presentation can be found in lesson 5.1. Some questions to consider while completing this lesson include: 

  • Why are social determinants of health important? 
  • How do social determinants of health impact health care outcomes? 
  • Are there specific groups that are more impacted by social determinants of health than others? 

Learning Objectives 

  • Provide examples on how social determinants of health can impact health outcomes 
  • Describe how high social vulnerability can be related to health care outcomes 
  • Explain how Citizen Scientists can help to incorporate social determinants of health in cancer research projects 

Video Tutorial

Presented By: Janet Brishke

Practice Assessment

Instructions: After watching the video tutorial, complete the following practice assessment. Choose the best answer for each question, and check your response for immediate feedback.

Reflection Questions

The reflection questions are meant to support your understanding of the topic and give you an opportunity to reflect about the topic based on your own individual perspectives. There are no right or wrong answers.

  • Is the topic of the importance of social determinants of health new to you?
  • Did anything in the video stand out to you?
  • How did it make you feel?

Additional Resources

A New Way to Document Social Determinants of Health
This article describes how clinicians at Johns Hopkins Medicine are using tools within their electronic health system to address social determinants of health.