Addressing the Social Determinants of Health in Canada: Bridging the Gap between Research Findings and Public Policy

MARCH 2003 35 I n late 2002, 400 social and health policy experts, community representatives and health researchers from Canada met at York University in Toronto at a conference entitled “Social Determinants of Health Across the Life-Span” to consider the state of ten key social determinants of health across Canada, explore the implications of these conditions for the health of Canadians, and outline policy directions to strengthen these social determinants of health. At the same time, Roy Romanow’s Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada was released. Despite submissions to the Commission that stressed the importance of the social determinants of health for the health of the population and maintaining the sustainability of the health care system, there was nary a mention of these issues in the Commission’s final report, in contrast with Michael Kirby’s report, The Health of Canadians The Federal Role, released earlier. In this article I will outline why the social determinants of health are so important and consider reasons for the continuing gap between what is known about the social determinants of population health and governmental action on these issues. I will provide examples of nations that have incorporated thinking about social determinants of health into national policy directions.