Addressing Social Determinants of Health

2 minute read

Traditionally, health outcomes were improved by expanding access to the health care system. But recently, there has been an increased focus on taking a broader approach due to the challenges of affordability and access in the health care system.

This more holistic approach to health and well-being includes examining and addressing social factors which can impact employees’ well-being and quality of life. These factors are known as social determinants of health (SDoH) or social drivers of health. Some examples of these include education, income and job opportunities, quality of air and water, access to nutritious food, and housing.

If employers understand how SDoH can affect employees, they can determine if their employees are receiving suitable health benefits. Employers can collect data and identify gaps in their current benefit offerings by using resources like employee surveys, health risk assessment tools, payroll/HR data, etc.

By assessing their health benefits designs with SDoH in mind, employers can determine which core and ancillary benefits best align with their employees’ needs and desires. This may include things like financial counseling, tuition reimbursement, flexible work schedule, and health care benefits education.

Employers are uniquely positioned to aid their employees in being healthier and making health care more accessible by taking a holistic approach to the health and well-being of the workforce. If employers consider the potential social factors that may be affecting their employees, it may enable them to not only improve their employees’ health outcomes but also lower health care expenses. Download the bulletin for more details.