The Best Approach to Social Determinants No One Talks About Drew Altman Published: Jun 11, 2024

https://www.kff.org/from-drew-altman/the-best-approach-to-social-determinants-no-one-talks-about/?utm_campaign=KFF-2022-Drew-Columns&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8N9Zz8Pqo3rWNoobx2Uz1UflUyrsKQ2a_29Zb8iEEU2JogxGpyNfc157mNOrSALbZw5E0gzbAwdv7kV0z18x4EfdC_9A&_hsmi=311073221&utm_content=311073221&utm_source=hs_email I learned a few lessons when I was what then was colloquially referred to as a “welfare commissioner,” a term now out of use. One of them was that the main thing most low-income people needed was, well, more income. While that may seem oxymoronic, it’s not. Because what we mostly provide to lift them out of poverty isn’t more income, it’s services—in the language of the health care field—to address the social determinants of health. CONTACT: Tammie Smith | 202.654.1410 | TammieS@kff.orgv