It is imperative to address social determinants of health on a national policy level, Terry Gallagher and Angela Moss, nurse practitioners at Rush University College of Nursing in Chicago, wrote in an op-ed for The Hill.
A recent study found Americans face significant challenges accessing safe housing, healthy food and other resources that contribute to health, issues Ms. Gallagher and Ms. Moss say they have observed in patients on Chicago's West Side. They argue solutions are shaped by economic and social policies such as paid parental leave and universal healthcare.
Ms. Gallagher and Ms. Moss also cite a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which found social determinants of health directly influence 80 percent of health outcomes. This means healthcare workers influence just 20 percent of outcomes.
Yet the U.S. has focused more on treating health issues than on preventing them in the first place. "For those with chronic conditions we need to work together with our patients to identify what social factors are impacting their ability to manage their illness," wrote Ms. Gallagher and Ms. Moss.