Nurses' Role in Addressing Social Determinants of Health A Case Study on the Social Determinants of Health Taskforce of Baltimore City

In recent years there has been increased interest in the social determinants of health (SDoH) by nurses and other healthcare professionals. Numerous seminars and discussions among nurses and other health professionals have focused on addressing social, economic, and environmental factors that impact the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Although these conversations are important and represent a movement towards health and social justice, they may be insufficient to address health inequities. There is an urgent need to move beyond community surveillance to implementing health equity programs and policies, especially in marginalized communities. Such is the case in Baltimore City, Maryland, where a nurse-led, community-based network of stakeholders transformed a grassroots health equity model to a state-mandated SDoH Taskforce focusing on a local community. The purpose of this column is to present a short case study that helps nurses understand their potential role in advancing health equity through policy.