The health of Canada's children. Part III: Public policy and the social determinants of children's health.

The health of Canada's children does not compare well with other wealthy industrialized nations. Significant inequalities in health exist among Canadian children, and many of these inequalities are due to variations in Canadian children's life circumstances - the social determinants of health. The present article describes the social determinants of children's health and explains how the quality of these social determinants is shaped, in large part, by public policy decisions. The specific public policies that shape the quality of Canadian children's health are examined, and Canadian approaches in comparison with other wealthy developed nations are described. Policy directions that would improve the quality of the social determinants of children's health are presented and barriers to their implementation are considered.