Moving toward health equity by addressing social determinants of health

Social determinants of health—the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age that affect health and quality of life—are strongly associated with disparities in health status and life expectancy. Nurses require a comprehensive understanding of social determinants and their associations with health outcomes to provide patient-centered care. Nurses can be leaders and change agents in advancing health equity by screening for social determinants that affect women and by engaging in cross-sector collaboration to build partnerships outside the health care system to address complex social needs. Nurses can also use their experience and knowledge to advocate for system-level change, which is required to address the upstream factors influencing the health of women. (author abstract)