Social Determinants of Health: Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

Social determinants of health (SDH) include all kinds of social, political and economic factors that have an influence on people's health, and they are the main drivers of inequities, that is, unjust inequalities in health. According to studies of SDH, there is a clear social gradient in health, which raises a number of ethical and political questions that we must consider carefully. From the standpoint of citizenship, the redistribution of SDH is a matter of both rights and responsibilities. Scientific (descriptive) analysis of SDH must be put in relation to value-oriented (normative) research on bioethics, theories of justice, and human rights. Finally, SDH and population health are directly related to the rights and duties of citizens. Solidarity (with others) and responsibility (for oneself) are two sides of the same coin in order to improve public health.