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Social Determinants of Health

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A complex web of socioeconomic factors—from neighborhood characteristics to racial, ethnic, and gender disparities—often influence individuals' health outcomes. RAND research on the social determinants of health includes the effects of parks and green space on neighborhood physical activity and health outcomes, "food deserts," school meals, and more.

Project
How Does Neighborhood Investment Affect Residents' Health and Well-Being?
RAND's PHRESH project has been studying how investments in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods affect diet, sleep, health, and well-being. We've learned that when residents are involved in decisions, communities can become healthier and happier.
Jun 8, 2021
Essay
Environmental Racism: How Historic Redlining Continues to Affect Communities
Starting in the 1930s, neighborhoods across America were redlined—marked on government maps as too hazardous, as in, too Black or too immigrant, for federal home loans. When zoning officials needed somewhere to put a new factory or freeway, those redlined neighborhoods were like a bullseye that they hit again and again.
Jun 27, 2022

Explore Social Determinants of Health

Journal Article
Neighborhood Walkability, Neighborhood Social Health, and Self-Selection Among U.S. Adults
Neighborhood walkability may promote specific aspects of neighborhood social health, which together are beneficial for physical and mental health. These findings provide additional impetus for enhancing walkability of US communities.
Jun 22, 2023
Journal Article
Evaluation of Approaches to Recruitment of Racially and Ethnically Diverse Breast Cancer Patients from an Integrated Health Care Setting for Collection of Observational Social Network Data
We compared approaches to recruitment of diverse women with breast cancer in a study of social networks. Mailed letter was the best approach to recruit diverse women with breast cancer and collection of social network data.
Jun 14, 2023
Report
Evaluation of California's Statewide Mental Health Campaigns
This report describes surveys of a representative sample of California adults to understand the reach and impact of the California Mental Health Services Authority's mental health prevention and early intervention campaigns.
Jun 13, 2023
Journal Article
Feasibility of a Computer-Assisted Social Network Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Reduce Substance Use and Increase Supportive Connections Among Emerging Adults Transitioning from Homelessness to Housing
Results suggest that a substance use intervention using Motivational Interviewing and social network visualizations is acceptable to youth transitioning to housing from and can be feasibly delivered by case managers during case management sessions.
Jun 13, 2023
Report
Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement (B-CORE) in Medi-Cal: Community-Generated Recommendations to Decrease Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity
The B-CORE project, described in this report, applied the deliberative democracy method to engage affected community members in problem-solving focused on maternal health inequities in California.
May 31, 2023
Journal Article
History of Incarceration Is Associated with Unmet Socioeconomic Needs and Structural Discrimination Among Young Black Sexual Minority Men (SMM) in the United States
This study aimed to assess the prevalence and association between unmet socioeconomic and structural needs and history of incarceration among young Black sexual minority men.
May 24, 2023
Journal Article
Unmet Social Needs Are Associated with Lower Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Medication Among a Sample of Black People Living with HIV (PLHIV)
This study examined the prevalence and typology of unmet needs and the association between unmet needs and HIV antiretroviral therapy medication adherence among a sample of Black people living with HIV in Los Angeles, CA.
May 24, 2023
Journal Article
What Is Associated with Changes in Food Security Among Low-Income Residents of a Former Food Desert?
We compared study participants in a former food desert neighborhood whose food security improved to those whose food security did not improve across survey waves. Distance to major food shopping store was positively associated with food security.
May 16, 2023
Report
The Cost of Cost-Effectiveness: Expanding Equity in Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants
Researchers offer ways the Federal Emergency Management Agency could simplify or amend the required benefit–cost analysis process in applications for hazard mitigation assistance to be more inclusive of lower-resourced communities.
Feb 15, 2023
Commentary
Research Shows How Communities Are Prioritizing Health Equity
In partnership with RAND, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is tracking how communities are evolving their approaches to building a Culture of Health and advancing health equity. The research offers insights on how and why inequities develop, and more importantly, how communities change course and move towards health equity.
Feb 1, 2023
Journal Article
Human Health and Socioeconomic Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the only declared Spill of National Significance in U.S. history, and it significantly impacted the health of people and communities in the Gulf of Mexico region.
Feb 1, 2023
Journal Article
Do Social Isolation and Neighborhood Walkability Influence Relationships Between COVID-19 Experiences and Wellbeing in Predominantly Black Urban Areas?
Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) pandemic.
Jan 31, 2023
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial of Rise, A Community-Based Culturally Congruent Counseling Intervention to Support Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Black/African American Adults Living with HIV
We conducted a randomized controlled trial of Rise, a community-based culturally congruent adherence intervention, from January 2018 to December 2021 with 166 Black adults living with HIV in Los Angeles.
Jan 25, 2023
Journal Article
Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Mixed-Methods Study from a Cohort of HIV Clients in Uganda
The paper utilized a longitudinal mixed-methods approach to evaluate the economic impact of COVID-19 on food security and ART-taking behaviors among people living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda.
Jan 19, 2023
Journal Article
Examining the Cross-sectional Association Between Neighborhood Conditions, Discrimination, and Telomere Length in a Predominantly African American Sample
Disproportionate exposure to adverse neighborhood conditions and greater discrimination may contribute to health disparities among African Americans.
Jan 10, 2023
Blog
A Potential Russian Attack on NATO, China in the Arctic, Inflation: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how the West might respond in the case of a limited Russian attack on NATO, what China's Arctic ambitions mean to the United States, how inflation affects middle-class households, and more.
Jan 6, 2023
News Release
Food Insecurity Affects Many Active-Duty U.S. Military Families, but Root Causes Remain Unclear
More than a quarter of active-duty military personnel have faced some level of food insecurity, but the underlying causes are not well understood.
Jan 4, 2023
Journal Article
City-Heat Equity Adaptation Tool (City-HEAT): Multi-objective Optimization of Environmental Modifications and Human Heat Exposure Reductions for Urban Heat Adaptation Under Uncertainty
Rising global temperatures and the urban heat island effect can amplify heat-related health risks to residents. Cities are considering various heat adaptation actions to improve public health, enhance social equity, and cope with future conditions.
Jan 4, 2023
Report
Food Insecurity Among U.S. Service Members and Their Families
Over a quarter of active duty personnel were food insecure in 2018, but only 14 percent of them used food assistance programs. Some said that the military culture of self-sufficiency and pride kept them from seeking help. Other barriers were a lack of knowledge about available resources and eligibility.
Jan 3, 2023
Research Brief
Food Insecurity in the U.S. Military: Responses to Eight Topics Raised by Congress
In response to a congressional query, RAND researchers examined the extent of food insecurity among military service members, their participation in food assistance programs, and the advisability of a basic needs allowance.
Jan 3, 2023

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RAND Topic:
Social Determinants of Health

Topic Synonyms:
Sociodemographic Determinants of Health

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Jonah Kushner

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Jonah Kushner is a Ph.D. student at the Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy researcher at RAND. His interests include workforce development and the future of work; affordable housing and homelessness; and health care delivery, health care payment, and social determinants of health.
Denis Agniel

Full Statistician

Denis Agniel is a statistician at the RAND Corporation. He is interested in and maintains active research in a wide array of topics in health and health policy, including health equity, substance use, health services research, genomics, infectious diseases, and quality measurement. He has…

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