Which statement best describes social determinants of health and provides examples?

• A. Genetic factors solely determine health outcomes.
• B. Conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age; examples include housing quality, education, income/poverty, transportation, and access to nutritious foods.
• C. Health is determined only by individual choices and behaviors.
• D. Access to care is irrelevant to health status.

Answer: (B)

Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and these conditions shape health outcomes just as much as biology or personal choices. The statement captures that broader context by naming housing quality, education, income or poverty, transportation, and access to nutritious foods as concrete examples. These factors influence health in real ways: where a person lives can affect exposure to hazards; education and income influence health literacy and the ability to afford care and healthy foods; transportation affects whether someone can reach clinics or grocery stores; and stable income supports safer housing and consistent access to resources. Because of this, health outcomes reflect both individual behavior and the surrounding social and economic environment.

In practice, this means that addressing health often requires looking beyond medical care to the ways neighborhoods, schools, work, and policies enable or impede healthy living. For a CHW, that involves screening for needs like housing quality, food security, and transportation, then connecting people to supports that remove barriers to healthy options.

The other statements miss key realities: genetics contribute to health but do not determine outcomes alone; health is not determined solely by individual choices, since social and environmental contexts strongly influence what choices are possible; and access to care matters because timely, affordable care is a major factor in health, not something that can be disregarded.