When Social History Becomes the Intervention: A Case-Based Analysis of Social Determinants of Health in Geriatric Care

Social determinants of health (SDH) are defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, including the broader forces shaping those conditions.1 These determinants—housing stability, social support, food access, and economic security—exert a profound influence on health outcomes and equity, shaping disease risk long before patients encounter the health care system.2