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Global action on the social determinants of health
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  • Published on:
    The Social Determinants of Health: What's missing?
    • John Shenouda, Doctor Division of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Mayfield House, University of Brighton,
    • Other Contributors:
      • Maxwell J Cooper, Senior Lecturer in general practice

    Donkin et al have highlighted the constructive steps being taken to implement policy change facilitating the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) across the globe 1. Although progress is not universal, what has been achieved deserves praise.

    We write, however, to highlight one key omission from the standard SDH model: religious faith. This deserves greater recognition as a social determinant of health for two reasons. First, is scale: a recent study demonstrated that 84% of the world’s 7.4 billion people affiliated themselves to a religious group 2. Second is the impact of religious faith on health, shaping both health beliefs and use of healthcare services 3.

    Theories of supernatural causation of illness are ancient and diverse. They are also universal: a 1980 study of health belief systems worldwide found evidence that supernatural causes of illness “far outweigh” natural ones 4. Of course many such models may be counter to the Western biomedical model. They should, however, still be acknowledged, not least because when believers encounter Western biomedicine the two models typically become mixed without any sense of conflict.

    The close link between healthcare services and religion is evident in both the historical (for example, medieval Christian hospitals in Europe) and contemporary (e.g. faith-based non-governmental organisations worldwide) contexts. The relationship between religion and healthcare is not confined to simple delivery. Religious fait...

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    Conflict of Interest:
    None declared.