Most of us think that good health is influenced mainly by:

• Family genes 
• Lifestyle choices 
• Good medical care

However, our social conditions and economic opportunities account for at least  50% of death and disease   773KB. The less money we make, the more likely we are to also have chronic health problems such as:

• Depression 
• Heart disease 
• Diabetes 

While access to quality health care will always be important, it is time for us to think about preventing people from getting sick in the first place, and understand that health starts in:

• Strong loving families 
• Neighbourhoods with sidewalks safe for walking 
• Grocery stores with fresh vegetables 
• Jobs we can get to without hours of commuting 
• Workplaces free of unnecessary hazards 
• Schools that educate our children for 21st century jobs 
• Having time and resources to play at the end of a hard day’s work

Jason’s story  shows how a complex set of factors influence our health. These factors are called the social determinants of health   and include:

• Income and Social Status 
• Education and Literacy
• Employment and Working Conditions
• Healthy Child Development