Social Determinants and the Impact on Health

Marilyn Metzler, RN, CDC Contractor/MCTA
Moderator: Amy Carte, RN, MS, Oklahoma State Department of Health

Session Objective

The objectives for this mini-plenary is to:

Define and differentiate between the three terms: social determinants of health, health equity, and health disparity.
Analyze examples provided and determine if each is an example of health inequity, or a health disparity.
Learn about three examples of successful efforts that address social determinants of health, health equity, or health disparities.

Session Summary

This session illustrates and explains the sometimes subtle differences between social determinants of health, health equity, and health disparities. These factors have been associated with cardiovascular health outcomes and must be addressed for any program to be effective. The information presented in this session clearly addresses the CDC Priority Area of reducing disparities and is cross cutting all chronic disease programs. The skills and knowledge presented in this session are equally applicable to WISEWOMAN, Coverdell, and HDSP programs.