🧬Social determinants of health (SDOH)
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are structural elements that affect a person’s psychological and physical health, such as the environment in which a person was raised or lives (see figure). According to research, SDOH may have a greater impact on an individual's health than medical treatment or lifestyle decisions. For instance, several studies indicate that SDOH may be responsible for between 30 and 55% of health outcomes. SDOH leads to social exclusion and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, resulting in them being two times more vulnerable to mental health distress.
An intersectional perspective is critical in understanding SDOH, as it can vary or be unique according to populations and even individuals. As such, SDOH should be reviewed at every preventive visit for all patients.
Intersectionality & Access to Healthcare
Intersectionality is defined as the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
The interaction of these different facets of a person’s identity (race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, religion, education level, physical ability, immigration status, r other status or identities) can define a person and have a significant impact on their day-to-day life, including access to healthcare. This means that people’s experiences of discrimination has multiple layers with more than one contributing factor.
For example, a refugee trans man’s access to healthcare would be even more limited from a trans man with citizenship because of Malaysia’s lack of recognition of refugees and trans people.
SDOH manifests among the LGBTQIA+people differently from the general population because of the institutionalized discrimination and various forms of social exclusion they experience. The SDOH framework allows service providers to understand the causal link between social factors related to patients’ identities and their access to healthcare and overall quality of life.
Further reading:
Last updated