Social Determinants of Health
This domain includes factors like income, employment, and financial security that influence overall health.
What is economic stability?
This term describes the differences in health outcomes among population groups that are often linked to social, economic, or environmental disadvantages.
What are health disparities?
This term refers to the ability of healthcare providers and organizations to understand and respect diverse cultural backgrounds to provide effective care.
What is cultural competency?
Unlike explicit bias, which is conscious and intentional, this type of bias operates unconsciously and can influence medical decisions without a provider realizing it.
What is implicit bias?
In the U.S., this racial group experiences the highest rates of maternal mortality, largely due to systemic barriers and implicit bias.
Who are Black/African American women?
Access to quality schooling—from early childhood to higher education—impacts health literacy and lifelong well-being.
What is Education?
Differences in disease prevalence, treatment outcomes, and mortality rates among various racial and ethnic groups highlight these disparities.
What are racial/ethnic disparities?
Providing medical interpreters and translated materials helps overcome this major obstacle to effective healthcare communication.
What are language barriers?
Implicit bias can contribute to disparities in pain management, with studies showing that this racial group is less likely to receive adequate pain treatment.
Who are Black/African American patients?
These trained professionals provide emotional, physical, and informational support to pregnant individuals and have been shown to improve birth outcomes, particularly for marginalized communities.
What are doulas and midwives?
This determinant covers the availability of preventive services, timely treatment, and culturally competent care.
What is healthcare access?
This type of disparity arises when variations in income, education, and employment result in unequal access to healthcare and overall well-being.
What are socioeconomic disparities?
Understanding and incorporating a patient’s beliefs, traditions, and values into their treatment plan is an example of this approach.
What is culturally appropriate care?
Women’s symptoms, particularly for this life-threatening cardiac event, are more likely to be dismissed or misdiagnosed compared to men.
What is a heart attack?
Access to prenatal care, housing stability, and food security are examples of these key factors that influence maternal health outcomes.
What are social determinants of health?
Factors such as safe housing, clean water, and access to nutritious food in a community fall under this social determinant.
What is environment?
This category of disparity examines differences in health outcomes and access to care between men and women, often influenced by biological and social factors.
What are gender-based disparities?
Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect a provider’s understanding, actions, and decisions are known as this.
What is implicit bias?
This type of training helps healthcare professionals recognize and address their unconscious biases to improve patient outcomes.
What is Unconcious bias training?
Studies show that many providers dismiss pain and concerns from pregnant individuals of this racial background, leading to delayed treatment and worse health outcomes.
Who are women of color?
This domain examines the impact of social relationships, community engagement, and discrimination on health outcomes.
What is community?
Variations in healthcare access and health outcomes between urban and rural areas exemplify these disparities.
What are geographic disparities?
Unlike cultural competency, this concept emphasizes ongoing self-reflection, learning, and acknowledging power imbalances in healthcare relationships.
What is cultural humility?
Certain clinical decision-making tools have been found to reinforce bias, such as race-based adjustments in this common test used to assess kidney function.
What is eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate)?
This U.S. legislative initiative aims to improve maternal health outcomes by expanding Medicaid coverage, increasing funding for community-based programs, and addressing racial disparities.
What is the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act?