Social and Economic Determinants of Health

Equity in health is an overarching principle of the World Health Organization. In recent decades, gaps in health equity between countries and among social groups within countries have widened, despite medical and technological progress. WHO and other health and development actors have defined tackling of health inequities as a major priority and aim to provide support to countries in more effective action geared to meeting the health needs of vulnerable groups.

Meeting this goal will require attending to the social and economic factors that determine people’s opportunities for health. An intersectoral approach, though often politically difficult, is indispensable for substantial progress towards health equity. The Millennium Development Goals underscore the deeply interwoven nature of health and economic development processes, the need for coordination among multiple sectors to reach health goals, and the importance of addressing poverty and gender inequality.

This situation raises challenges for ministries of health, which must work in innovative ways to foster intersectoral collaboration on the social and economic determinants of health even as they align key health sector specific programmes to respond better to the needs of vulnerable populations. Effective means to promote health gains for vulnerable groups include integration into health-sector policies and programmes of equity-enhancing, pro-poor, gender-responsive, ethically sound approaches. Human rights offer a unifying conceptual framework for these strategies and standards by which to evaluate success.

For more information contact:

Dr. Davison Munodawafa
Email: munodawafad [at] who.int (munodawafad[at]who[dot]int)

The Social and Economic Determinants of Health (SDH)  Programme provides technical support to Member States and WHO to reduce health equity gap through action on the determinants of health.

In the WHO African Region, these health inequities and inequalities exist between and within countries, and contribute disproportionately to high incidences of preventable illness, disability and premature deaths across population groups particularly the poor, women, children, elderly and displaced populations. As these determinants of health exist outside the Health domain, multisectoral and interdisciplinary approaches are required.