Social Connection as a Public Health Issue: The Evidence and a Systemic Framework for Prioritizing the “Social” in Social Determinants of Health

2022 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne Holt-Lunstad
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Social Connection

There is growing interest in and renewed support for prioritizing social factors in public health both in the USA and globally. While there are multiple widely recognized social determinants of health, indicators of social connectedness (e.g., social capital, social support, social isolation, loneliness) are often noticeably absent from the discourse. This article provides an organizing framework for conceptualizing social connection and summarizes the cumulative evidence supporting its relevance for health, including epidemiological associations, pathways, and biological mechanisms. This evidence points to several implications for prioritizing social connection within solutions across sectors, where public health work, initiatives, and research play a key role in addressing gaps. Therefore, this review proposes a systemic framework for cross-sector action to identify missed opportunities and guide future investigation, intervention, practice, and policy on promoting social connection and health for all. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 43 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

scholarly journals Canadian Senate Report on Obesity: Focusing on Individual Behaviours versus Social Determinants of Health May Promote Weight Stigma

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela S. Alberga ◽  
Lindsay McLaren ◽  
Shelly Russell-Mayhew ◽  
Kristin M. von Ranson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Weight Stigma ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Health Issue ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
The Individual

Very little attention has been given to unintended consequences of government reporting on obesity. This paper argues that the 2016 Senate report, “Obesity in Canada: A Whole-Of-Society Approach,” exemplifies the systemic public health issue of weight stigma. The purpose of this viewpoint is to critique the approach taken in the Report, by illustrating that it (1) takes a weight-centric approach to health, (2) does not acknowledge important limitations of the definition and measurement of obesity, (3) reifies obesity as a categorical phenomenon that must be prevented, and (4) uses aggressive framing and disrespectful terminology. The Report perpetuates a focus on the individual, thereby failing to recognize the role that governments can play in reducing weight stigma and addressing social determinants of health. If steps are taken to avoid propagating weight stigma, future reports could more constructively address health promotion, equity, and social determinants of health in their policies.

scholarly journals Interactive visualization of public health indicators to support policymaking: An exploratory study

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moutasem Zakkar ◽  
Kamran Sedig
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Interactive Visualization ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Public Health Indicators ◽  
Interactive Visualizations ◽  
Health Policymaking

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the use of interactive visualizations to represent data/information related to social determinants of health and public health indicators, and to investigate the benefits of such visualizations for health policymaking. Methods: The study developed a prototype for an online interactive visualization tool that represents the social determinants of health. The study participants explored and used the tool. The tool was evaluated using the informal user experience evaluation method. This method involves the prospective users of a tool to use and play with it and their feedback to be collected through interviews. Results: Using visualizations to represent and interact with health indicators has advantages over traditional representation techniques that do not allow users to interact with the information. Communicating healthcare indicators to policymakers is a complex task because of the complexity of the indicators, diversity of audiences, and different audience needs. This complexity can lead to information misinterpretation, which occurs when users of the health data ignore or do not know why, where, and how the data has been produced, or where and how it can be used. Conclusions: Public health policymaking is a complex process, and data is only one element among others needed in this complex process. Researchers and healthcare organizations should conduct a strategic evaluation to assess the usability of interactive visualizations and decision support tools before investing in these tools. Such evaluation should take into consideration the cost, ease of use, learnability, and efficiency of those tools, and the factors that influence policymaking.

scholarly journals Public Health capacities for action on the social determinants of health in Europe

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S van den Broucke ◽  
C Aluttis ◽  
K Michelsen ◽  
H Brand ◽  
C Chiotan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
The Social

A public health model of the social determinants of health

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahid Ansari ◽  
Norman J. Carson ◽  
Michael J. Ackland ◽  
Loretta Vaughan ◽  
Adrian Serraglio
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Public Health Model ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health Model

scholarly journals Aiming for Health Equity: The role of Public Health Policy and Primary Healthcare Comment on "Universal Health Coverage for Non-Communicable Diseases and Health Equity: Lessons From Australian Primary Healthcare"

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Burström
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Health Equity ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases

This commentary refers to the article by Fisher et al on lessons from Australian primary healthcare (PHC), which highlights the role of PHC to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promote health equity. This commentary discusses important elements and features when aiming for health equity, including going beyond the healthcare system and focusing on the social determinants of health in public health policies, in PHC and in the healthcare system as a whole, to reduce NCDs. A wider biopsychosocial view on health is needed, recognizing the importance of social determinants of health, and inequalities in health. Public funding and universal access to care are important prerequisites, but regulation is needed to ensure equitable access in practice. An example of a PHC reform in Sweden indicates that introducing market solutions in a publicly funded PHC system may not benefit those with greater needs and may reduce the impact of PHC on population health.

scholarly journals Addressing Social Needs in Health Care Settings: Evidence, Challenges, and Opportunities for Public Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. Kreuter ◽  
Tess Thompson ◽  
Amy McQueen ◽  
Rachel Garg
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Health Care Settings

There has been an explosion of interest in addressing social needs in health care settings. Some efforts, such as screening patients for social needs and connecting them to needed social services, are already in widespread practice. These and other major investments from the health care sector hint at the potential for new multisector collaborations to address social determinants of health and individual social needs. This article discusses the rapidly growing body of research describing the links between social needs and health and the impact of social needs interventions on health improvement, utilization, and costs. We also identify gaps in the knowledge base and implementation challenges to be overcome. We conclude that complementary partnerships among the health care, public health, and social services sectors can build on current momentum to strengthen social safety net policies, modernize social services, and reshape resource allocation to address social determinants of health. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 42 is April 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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