Measuring the social determinants of health: an integrative literature review

Abstract

Introduction: The Social Determinants of Health are those conditions that directly or indirectly influence the life course, the health of individuals and inequalities. Objective: to analyze the scientific evidence on instruments used to measure the Social Determinants of Health. Method: integrative documentary review of publications on this topic in 27 scientific articles, analyzed in ATLAS.ti software. Results: 2019 was the year with the highest number of studies related to Social Determinants of Health, English the predominant language; the United States is the most prolific country in publications; the most evaluated were the health system (70%), education (63%), economic income and housing (55%). Age, gender and ethnicity were assessed in 41%, socioeconomic stratum was not directly assessed. The measurement has been focused on the structural. Conclusion: according to scientific evidence, there is no homogeneity to include in instruments the fundamental Social Determinants of Health that explain inequalities and inequities and the design of generic instruments is an international need to evaluate the structural and intermediate determinants.