Gaps in Current Knowledge about the
Social Determinants of Health
A large body of evidence from observational
research strongly and repeatedly links multiple
upstream social (including economic) factors
with a wide array of health outcomes, and
understanding—albeit incomplete—of underlying
pathways and biological mechanisms
has been growing. With notable exceptions,
however, we know little about effective ways
to address social factors to improve health and
reduce health disparities—about when, where,
and how to intervene.
The gaps in knowledge reflect several challenges.
More often than not, the relationships