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Population health is thinking beyond the health of an individual and looking at the health outcomes of a whole community. It considers all the factors that influence the overall health of a specific population including the social and structural conditions in which people are born, work, live and age.

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Differences in the social determinants of health result in health inequities – the unnecessary or unjust conditions that result in differences in people’s health status or health outcomes.   We can achieve our population health goals by focusing on reducing health inequities, drawing attention to the variety of factors that are known to have impact on individual and community health.

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The Healthy Populations Institute champions building health equity by addressing the fundamental causes and structural barriers of unhealthy lives and communities in Atlantic Canada and beyond. It is imperative that we research the wider determinants of health and create solutions that allow all members of a population to be well.

 

To learn more about population health, click here.