What’s Driving Our Health
Improving the health of our nation starts with broadening our view of what health means.
That’s why we’re starting a national conversation around whole health and the factors that drive it.
HEALTH IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS.
BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE’RE SEEING THE BIG PICTURE OF WHOLE HEALTH.
Jump to Key Terms & Definitions
Taking a holistic view of health that includes social, behavioral, and physical drivers can have the greatest impact on our whole health. However, we have historically viewed health mostly as a product of the medical care we receive.
In reality, where we live, our financial circumstances, our access to affordable, nutritious foods, and other non-medical factors overwhelmingly influence our health. These factors are called social drivers of health (SDoH), and they determine up to 80%* of our health outcomes. We aim to deepen Americans' understanding of these social drivers, and all the factors that comprise whole health, to improve the health of people across the nation.
*RWJF: Medicaid's Role in Addressing Social Determinants of Health 2019
DRIVING OUR HEALTH: A STUDY EXPLORING HEALTH PERCEPTIONS IN AMERICA
Broadening our view of health starts with understanding what people currently believe. How do we think we are being affected by drivers like food, housing, and transportation? How do we think others are affected? Do we even believe that social drivers play a role in our health?
To help answer these questions, we conducted a survey of 5,000 nationally representative adults to provide a benchmark for how Americans think about whole health at this unique moment in time.
KEY FINDINGS
-
Education can help people connect the dots on whole health.
-
Nearly half of Americans (46%) are unaware of the concept of social drivers of health.
0%
-
Once given the definition of SDoH, 60% of Americans agree that their local community is facing at least some health issues related to SDoH.
0%
-
-
WHAT AMERICANS BELIEVE IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING THEIR HEALTH.
-
57%
Financial stability
-
56%
Mental health
-
56%
Living in a safe community
-
53%
Access to affordable and nutritious foods
VS.
-
39%
Access to the internet
-
37%
Level of education
-
37%
Access to nature
-
-
Many Americans face unmet social, economic, and health needs.
1/3
Nearly 1/3 of Americans have altered their eating habits due to financial concerns.
-
50% say it is hard to find affordable, healthy food in their local community
-
1 in 5 say lack of transportation has kept them from medical appointments, work, or getting the things they need
-
-
Americans of color are disproportionately affected by the consequences of SDoH.
Percentage reporting that their local community is facing at least some health issues related to SDoH
-
45% OF AMERICANS DO NOT FEEL FINANCIALLY SECURE. THE LACK OF FINANCIAL SECURITY HAS RIPPLE EFFECTS ACROSS OTHER SDoH, SUCH AS FOOD AND HOUSING.
Nearly 1/3 of Americans have altered their
eating habits due to financial concerns.One in four Americans are worried about
losing their housing.
HOW YOUR WORLD SHAPES YOUR HEALTH
HOW YOUR WORLD SHAPES YOUR HEALTH
Whether we realize it or not, our experiences and health are shaped by social drivers every day. Explore the infographic to learn about some of the unexpected ways SDoH can have a big impact on our lives and health.
SEE SDoH IN ACTION
DOWNLOAD THE FULL STUDY FINDINGS
KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS
Social Drivers of Health*
Conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health and quality-of-life-risks and outcomes
Whole Health
A holistic view of health that includes individuals’ physical, behavioral, and social circumstances
What’s Driving Our Health
An initiative to improve Americans’ understanding of whole health, built around Anthem’s landmark report Driving Our Health: A study exploring health perceptions in America
*CDC, Social Determinants of Health: Know What Affects Health