Social determinants contribute to most of the global burden of disease and death, as well as the bulk of existing health inequities between and within countries. Throughout the world, vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people have less access to health resources, get sicker and die earlier than people in more privileged social positions.
These unfair gaps are growing in spite of an era of unprecedented global wealth, knowledge and health awareness.
On 18 March 2005, the World Health Organisation launched the first ever global Commission on Social Determinants of Health.
Operating for three years, the Commission will recommend interventions and policies to narrow health inequalities through an innovative multi-sectoral approach that ensures access to health care, healthy living conditions, safe working environments, and access to food and education for people who are poor and marginalized.
The Commission will include leading policymakers such as Italian Socialist MEP Giovanni Berlinguer, scientists, health practitioners and members of civil society. It will hold three to four major meetings a year, mostly in low-to-middle income countries.
The WHO has prepared a background briefing for the Commission to answer three basic questions:
(1) Why didn’t previous efforts to promote health policies on social determinants succeed?
(2) Why do we think the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) can do better?
(3) What can the Commission learn from previous experiences - negative and positive - that can increase its chances for success?.
See related EPHA article on the creation of the Commission
Commission launch: background documents on the WHO website
