Public Health Speaks: Social determinants of health
“Language is a powerful tool… it is very important to describe what we do in everyday language.” Connie Clement
“… historical factors have created some of the power dynamics, class and racial issues that [communities] continue to experience.” Nancy Edwards
This video features reflections from public health decision-makers and researchers in Canada on what health equity and the social determinants of health mean to them, and how they talk about these concepts with others. Health equity is often described in terms of fairness, “allowing to live,” and creating the social and economic conditions that support health. Some key points in unpacking health equity include getting to the root causes of inequities, asking why differences in health outcomes exist, being attentive to the deep historical roots of contemporary inequities, and talking about the societal benefits of a more equal society.
This video was filmed at the Researcher-practitioner workshop on health equity: Bridging the Gap held in February 2012.
Speakers:
- Connie Clement, Scientific Director, National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health
- Gail Turner, Director of Health Services, Health and Social Services, Nunatsiavut
- Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Medical Officer of Health, Capital Health, Halifax
- Nancy Edwards, Scientific Director, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Institute for Population and Public Health
- Dr. Colleen Dell, Associate Professor, University of Saskatchewan
- Dr. Jocelyne Sauvé, Medical Officer of Health, Montérégie Regional Health Authority, Québec
Use this resource to:
- Learn how terms like health inequalities, health inequities and social determinants of health are used in public health practice
- Explore the underlying premises of health equity
- with your colleagues
Related resources:
See more from the Public Health Speaks Series.
National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health (2013). Public Health Speaks: Social determinants of health [video]. Antigonish, NS: National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, St. Francis Xavier University.
Tags: Healthy public policy, Key concepts, Participate in policy development, Audio, Video, Public Health Speaks