Social Determinants of Health

The AHA is working to support hospitals and health systems as they address social determinants of health, eliminate health care disparities and provide comprehensive care to every patient in every community—all of which improve community health.

We are continuously developing resources on how hospitals can address the social determinants of health in their communities. Click on the icons below to view reports, case studies, webinars and videos on eight social determinants of health.

Social Determinants Of Health Series:

Additional Resources

	Improving Health Equity Through Medical-Legal Partnerships Hospitals and health systems are forming partnerships to create a network of services that better address the social and legal needs of vulnerable populations. This AHA issue brief discusses medical-legal partnerships, which are advancing health equity and improving community health and well-being. Medical-legal services include activities such as screening for legal needs so patients can be connected to on-site or community resources and offering in-house training for providers and staff so they’re aware of the availability of services associated with social determinants of health.
	Community Health and Equity Resources at the American Hospital Association The AHA is focusing on several areas, including health equity and eliminating care disparities, violence and workplace safety, health system and community collaborations to advance health, and social determinants of health. AHA is working to build on this agenda through innovative campaigns and initiatives, strategic alliances, initiatives, publications and annual awards.
	Ensuring Access to Care in Vulnerable Communities Established in 2015, the Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities outlines nine emerging strategies for preserving access. The ultimate goal is to provide vulnerable communities and the hospitals that serve them with the tools necessary to determine the essential services they should strive to maintain locally, and the delivery system options that will allow them to do so.
	Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services - Social Determinants of Health The Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities examined ways in which the access to and delivery of care could be improved. In vulnerable communities, even if quality care is available, social determinants often prevent individuals from being able to access health care or achieve health goals. This document provides more information on social determinants of health, along with federal policy solutions to pursue, and actions for hospitals and health systems to deploy.
	Hospitals Against Violence Hospitals Against Violence is an AHA initiative to elevate the importance of workplace and community violence prevention as a public health issue for hospitals and health systems. The initiative has aggregated and produced numerous resources to support hospitals’ violence prevention work.
	Next Generation of Community Health The AHA’s 2016 Committee on Research discusses what the next generation of community health may look like as hospitals redefine themselves to keep pace with the changing health care landscape.