Wider Determinants

Why the wider determinants of health are important

Wider determinants, also known as social determinants, are a diverse range of social, economic and environmental factors that impact on people’s health. Such factors are influenced by the local, national and international distribution of power and resources which shape the conditions of daily life. They determine the extent to which different individuals have the physical, social and personal resources to identify and achieve goals, meet their needs and deal with changes to their circumstances.

Many wider determinants of health are common across all life course stages and information on these and how they impact on health can be found in the Living and Working Well section.