Mental health disorders can be shaped by the social, economic, and physical environments in which people live.^1,2 The social determinants of health are defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, and age – all of which can impact health and well-being.² Social determinants of mental health at the individual level include adverse early life experiences, poor social support and lack of connectedness, and social exclusion based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.² Social determinants of health at the societal level include poverty and income inequality, low education, unemployment, housing instability, food insecurity, and adverse features of the built environment.² Exposure to unfavourable social, economic, and environmental circumstances can leave certain population subgroups at a higher risk of mental disorders.¹ Watch leading experts discuss how the social determinants of mental health relate to neuropsychiatric disorders, and what can be done to address these in clinical practice.

Dr. Michael T. Compton, MD, MPH, DFAPA (Division of Behavioural Health Services and Policy Research, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York), Dr. Cynthia E. Armand, MD (Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York), and Dr. Craig Chepke, MD, FAPA (Medical Director of Excel Psychiatric Associates Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, and University of North Carolina School of Medicine, North Carolina) convened at the American Psychiatric Association 2022 Annual Meeting to discuss how the social determinants of mental health relate to neuropsychiatric disorders, and what can be done to help address these in clinical practice. The experts defined the social determinants of mental health and discussed why it is important for physicians to consider these in daily practice. They also delved into the challenges social determinants of mental health can create for both patients and physicians.

Click on the links below to hear expert insights from these key opinion leaders on how social determinants of mental health relate to neuropsychiatric disorders, and what can be done to address these in clinical practice

What are the social determinants of mental health?

Why is it important for physicians to consider social determinants of mental health in daily practice?

In your clinical experience, what challenges do social determinants of mental health create for patients and physicians?

References

1. World Health Organization and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Social determinants of mental health. Geneva, World Health Organization. 2014. Available at https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/112828/9789241506809_eng.pdf. Accessed October 2022.
2. Shim R, Koplan C, Langheim FJP, Manseau MW, Powers RA, Compton MT. The social determinants of mental health: an overview and call to action. Psychiatr Ann 2014;44:22–6.

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