What best defines social determinants of health?

• A. Genetic predispositions
• B. Conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age
• C. Individual lifestyle choices only
• D. Medical care access

Answer: (B)

Social determinants of health refer to the conditions and environments in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, along with the broader social and economic forces that shape daily life. These factors include income, education, housing quality, neighborhood safety, access to healthy foods, air and water quality, health care access, social support, and experiences of discrimination. This perspective explains how health outcomes vary across different groups and why improvements often require changes to policies, environments, and social systems, not just individual choices.

Genetic predispositions describe biology, which influences risk but doesn’t capture the social and environmental context that can elevate or reduce health risks. Individual lifestyle choices matter, but they are shaped and constrained by the surrounding conditions—poverty, education, housing, and access to resources. Access to medical care is important, but as a component of the broader social and environmental framework rather than the sole determinant of health.