Addressing Social Determinants of Health: A Framework for Interdisciplinary Action

Social determinants of health (SDOH)-nonmedical issues influencing health, like economic stability and education-are sustained by power and oppression processes. Addressing the Social Work Grand Challenge of "closing the health gap," therefore, requires addressing health inequities in marginalized communities by addressing power inequities. This article presents a theoretical framework for advancing health equity by leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration and increasing community-led decision making, activities aligned with the Grand Challenges. Building on values and ideas developed by the authors of the Grand Challenge to close the health gap, authors of this article propose a three-part framework to address SDOH: (1) facilitating strategic interdisciplinary work, (2) embedding community-centered competencies as an expression of values, and (3) building power through shared decision making and structural change. Using the example of a partnership between macro social work and community psychology, the present article explains the framework, culminating in a case study demonstrating how all three elements can be combined. With a renewed focus on antioppressive values, the authors propose that this type of interdisciplinary work can lead to broad social change, addressing the SDOH and ultimately the Grand Challenge of closing the health gap.