Model of organization of indicators for operationalizing the social-environmental determinants of health

Abstract

The theme of social determinants and their relationship to the health-disease process in different population groups is highly relevant to public health and has been attracting increasing attention. In this process, theoretical-conceptual models have been adopted to explain how social determinants generate inequalities in health. Such models aim at supporting measures focusing on 'causes of the causes', while indicators related to different determinants have been organized by means of methodologies that allow integrated analyses. Despite such progress, environmental problems that currently constitute important disease-generating factors through ecosystem degradation and climate changes have received little attention as environmental determinants of health, jointly with social determinants. This paper aims to expand the theoretical discussions on the socio-environmental determinants of health by presenting a methodology for the organization of environmental health indicators called Driving Forces-Pressures-State-Exposure-Effects-Action (DPSEEA), with the objective of operationalizing the social determinants of health.