Which statement best defines Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)?

• A. Biological determinants such as genes and metabolism
• B. Personal lifestyle choices
• C. Non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, including the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, as well as broader systems like policy, economics, and social norms
• D. Healthcare system quality only

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is that health is shaped by non-medical conditions and the social environment in which people live, not just by biology or medical care. Social Determinants of Health are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They include the conditions people are born into, grow up in, live, work, and age, such as housing, income, education, neighborhood safety, access to nutritious food, and social support. They also cover broader systems like policy, economic structures, and social norms that shape those conditions and the resources available to people. These determinants help explain why health disparities exist and why two individuals with similar medical care can have different health outcomes due to the surrounding social context.

The other statements are narrower: biology and genetics describe innate factors that influence health but are not the social determinants; lifestyle choices refer to individual behaviors without the broader social framework; and focusing only on the healthcare system misses the wide range of social and economic factors that drive health outcomes.