AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/social-determinants
Social determinants of health
The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.
Summary
- They include income, housing, education, employment and the local environment.
- They account for much of the gap in life expectancy between richer and poorer areas.
- The Marmot Review of 2010 set out the evidence for England. A follow up in 2020 found that the gap had widened.
- They lie mostly outside the NHS, in housing, work and education policy.
Interview questions
- Why do people in poorer areas die younger?
- How much can a doctor do about a patient's housing or income?
- Is poor health a matter of personal choice?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
alphamedicine.uk/Services · alphamedicine.uk/Contact
More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.