Addressing Health Disparities: Understanding Place in the Role of Social Determinant Interventions

Abstract Purpose Recent national policy adoptions of the social determinants of health approach present enormous challenges to practitioners designing health promotion programs aimed at eliminating health disparities. This chapter provides a framework for understanding the social determinant rationale embedded in Healthy People 2020 and introduces the concept of place as an important consideration. Methodology/Approach This chapter presents a conceptual explanation of social determinant thinking and describes the potential impact for traditional health promotion activities that target the at-risk populations. Findings Two major resources, the Health Impact Assessment Toolkit and the HHS Disparities Action Plan, have emerged as frameworks for developing a health in all policies approach that will enable health practitioners to enhance their social determinant interventions. Research limitations/implications Current social determinant approaches and models need to be strategically tailored to interventions aiming to reduce health disparities. Additional research focusing on how these approaches are integrated within the existing health promotion program frameworks is required. Practical implications Very few health practitioners have had the opportunity to integrate a social determinant approach that emphasizes the concept of place and explores the consequences of using a health in all policies approach. This chapter serves as a practical introduction and outlines the major challenges. Originality/value of paper The tipping point for the inclusion of social determinants of health in addressing health disparities occurred with the publication of Healthy People 2020. As this innovation begins to diffuse throughout the country, health practitioners will benefit by reviews and applications of the new rationale and model.