Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) refer to the conditions that influence an individual's health. The following federal Canadian and provincial British Columbian resources focus on how these factors are prioritized and addressed in their respective areas. 

Federal Canadian Resources Addressing SDOH 

1. Key Health Inequalities in Canada: National Portrait - Executive Summary (Government of Canada, 2019):

This report outlines health inequalities in Canada, identifying key SDOH and affected population groups. It categorizes disparities between health status and health determinant indicators. 

Health Status Indicators: 

• Life expectancy and health-adjusted life expectancy 

• Mortality rates (e.g., infant mortality, unintentional injuries) 

• Chronic disease prevalence (e.g., diabetes, asthma, arthritis) 

• Mental health outcomes (e.g., suicide rates, perceived mental health) 

Health Determinant Indicators: 

• Health behaviours (e.g., smoking, alcohol use, physical activity) 

• Early childhood development 

• Physical and social environments 

• Working conditions 

• Healthcare access 

• Social protection measures 

Taking into consideration the above indicators, the report identifies groups facing significant health inequalities: 

• Indigenous Peoples: Experience disparities due to historical and systemic factors. 

• Low Socioeconomic Status: Individuals with lower income, education, or employment face poorer health outcomes. 

• Racial and Ethnic Minorities: Certain groups experience unique health challenges and barriers to care. 

• Immigrants: Face integration challenges, limited access to services, and socioeconomic barriers. 

• LGBTQ+ Individuals: These groups may experience specific health concerns and discrimination. 

• Age Groups: Youth and older adults face distinct health risks. 

• Geographic Disparities: Rural and remote communities often have limited healthcare access. 

2. Health of Canadians - Determinants of Health (Statistics Canada, 2023):

This resource highlights how various factors influence health in Canada. The data helps illustrate the disparities in health across different population groups and regions: 

• Education, Employment, and Income: Higher education and income correlate with better health outcomes. Unemployment is linked to poorer mental health. 

• Sex at Birth, Gender, and Sexual Orientation: Transgender, non-binary, and LGBTQ2+ individuals face discrimination, impacting mental and physical health. 

• Disability: People with disabilities experience barriers to healthcare, education, and employment, leading to worse health outcomes. 

• Immigrant Status: Immigrants often arrive in good health but may face declining health over time due to lifestyle changes and access barriers. 

• Indigenous Populations: Colonization, intergenerational trauma, and systemic inequities contribute to significant health disparities. 

• Racialized Populations: Discrimination and systemic barriers negatively affect health outcomes for racialized communities. 

3. Health Inequalities Data Tool (Government of Canada, 2024):

This tool was developed in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, Statistics Canada, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information to address SDOH. It helps identify priority areas using standalone or combined data based on geography, framework components, indicators, life course, stratifiers, and measures. Editions were released in 2017 and 2022. 

Provincial British Columbia (BC) Resources Addressing SDOH 

4.  BC Population and Public Health Framework: Strengthening Public Health (Government of BC, n.d.): 

This framework outlines BC’s approach to population and public health, emphasizing illness prevention and health promotion across all communities. It is built on three core principles: 

• Truth, Rights, and Reconciliation 

• Health Equity and Anti-Racism 

• System Capacity 

The framework sets key priorities to improve health outcomes: 

• Best Start in Life: This priority recognizes that experiences during the early years significantly influence long-term health outcomes. Initiatives focus on supporting families, ensuring access to quality prenatal and postnatal care, and promoting environments conducive to healthy childhood development. 

• Health Impacts of Climate Change: Strategies include enhancing public health preparedness for climate-related events, promoting sustainable practices, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to protect both environmental and human health. 

• Communicable Disease Prevention and Response: Efforts involve improving vaccination programs, enhancing monitoring systems to detect outbreaks promptly, and ensuring effective response mechanisms are in place to manage and contain infectious diseases. 

• Prevention and Reduction of Substance-Related Harms: Approaches include expanding access to treatment and recovery services, implementing harm reduction initiatives, and educating communities about the risks of substance use to prevent addiction and overdose incidents. 

• Non-Communicable Disease and Injury Prevention: Strategy aims to lessen the prevalence of chronic diseases and preventable injuries, this priority promotes healthy lifestyles and safe environments. Initiatives focus on encouraging physical activity, balanced nutrition, and regular health screenings, as well as implementing safety measures to reduce accidents and injuries in various settings. 

• Population Mental Health and Wellness: This priority emphasizes the promotion of mental wellness and the provision of accessible support services by destigmatizing mental health issues, expanding community-based mental health programs, and ensuring timely access to counseling and psychiatric services for those in need. 

5.  Closing the Gap: A Primer on Addressing Health Inequities (Government of BC, 2025): 

The purpose of this resource is to provide an overview of key measurement considerations and tools for identifying and reducing health inequities, as an essential component of strengthening public health. It emphasizes the critical role of collecting, analyzing, and applying disaggregated data to uncover and comprehend health inequalities by using the Health Inequalities Data Tool. 

6. Social Determinants of Health Strategy (First Nations Health Authority [FNHA], n.d.):

The Strategy identifies four key areas of focus to address the SDOH and strengthen the health and wellness of First Nations individuals, families and communities: healing approaches, cultural infrastructure, nation-based governance, and sustainable funding. First Nations people have always recognized complex factors that impact an individual's wellness such as mental, emotional, spiritual and physical elements. The Strategy notes that broader factor are also part of fulsome understanding of wellness that need to be kept in balance: 

• Culture, language and ceremony 

• Self-determination genetics 

• Income and social status 

• Early childhood development 

• Personal health practices and coping skills 

• Physical environment 

• Education 

• Employment and working conditions 

• Gender 

• Social support networks 

• Social inclusion 

• Access to health services 

The FNHA advocates for culturally appropriate healthcare, the inclusion of traditional healing practices, and the enhancement of health services that meet the unique needs of Indigenous communities. It highlights the importance of addressing these social determinants to improve overall health outcomes for Indigenous peoples. 

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