Social Determinants (Drivers) of Health
Social Determinants (Drivers) of Health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age. Research shows that SDOH can be more important than health care or lifestyle choices in influencing health ("Social determinants of health," 2019). Learn how to address SDOH in your practice to optimize outcomes.
AOTA Official Documents
Use AOTA Official Documents to help guide education, practice, advocacy, and policy on behalf of the profession.
AOTA's Societal Statement on Livable Communities
AOTA's Societal Statement on Health Literacy
AOTA’s Societal Statement on Health Disparities
AOTA’s Societal Statement on Community Violence
Occupational Therapy’s Commitment to Sustainability and Climate Change
Healthy People 2030
AOTA is a proud champion of the Healthy People 2030 initiative. This initiative provides evidence-based resources and national objectives for each SDOH domain: healthcare access and quality, education access and quality, social and community context, economic stability, and neighborhood and built environment.
Identifying Social Needs
Identifying social needs starts at evaluation with a comprehensive Occupational Profile to identify social needs influencing occupations. Some organizations may also recommend the use of a social needs screening tool or standardized health-related social needs screening (HRSN). Performance-based and environmental assessments can also provide vital information related to the impact of SDOH.
Occupational therapy practitioners can address social determinants (drivers) of health at the person, group, and population level.
Resources
Review resources to learn more about SDOH and guide decision making for intervention, assessment, and treatment.
Evolving Occupational Therapy Response to Societal Needs
Social Determinants of Health and OT's Role in Novel Settings
Improving the Collection of SDOH Data with ICD - 10 CM Z Codes
Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation
Research and Articles
Expand your knowledge with the latest research, perspectives, and solutions from occupational therapy practitioners.
References
Braveman, B., Gupta, J., & Padilla, R. (2013, November 1). AOTA’s societal statement on health disparities. American Occupational Therapy Association. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2013.67S7
Social determinants of health. (2019, May 30). World Health Organization (WHO).
Social determinants of health. (n.d.). Home of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - health.gov.